TN HB1879

Nonprofit organizations contracting with the Tennessee Department of Children's Services as single source continuum contractors or child welfare service providers receive liability protection for acts or omissions by their employees, volunteers, or caregivers

Liability protection requires the entity to have conducted timely criminal background checks, verified the person is not on abuse registries (initially and every 5 years), reported known misconduct allegations, taken appropriate personnel actions, and required training on child sexual abuse prevention and abuse reporting

Claimants can still pursue vicarious liability claims if they demonstrate the entity was not in substantial compliance with the requirements, the requirement was designed to prevent the type of harm that occurred, and the noncompliance contributed to the harm

Liability protections do not apply to damages resulting from the entity's own gross negligence

Effective July 1, 2026