Senate Bill 1989 amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated to establish protections for parents and legal guardians regarding their decisions to raise children in alignment with the child's biological sex. The bill specifies that actions such as referring to a child by titles or pronouns consistent with their biological sex, or making medical and mental health decisions based on that biological sex, cannot be used as grounds for findings of abuse, neglect, or other legal actions against the parent or guardian. This includes provisions that prevent a child's disagreement with such decisions from being classified as unruly behavior unless requested by the parent.

Additionally, the bill ensures that courts will not view a parent's intention to raise a child consistent with their biological sex as a negative factor when determining custody arrangements. It clarifies that while this legislation provides certain protections, it does not permit any actions that would otherwise constitute abuse or neglect as defined by existing law. The act is set to take effect upon becoming law, emphasizing the importance of parental rights in the context of child-rearing decisions related to gender identity.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39-15-401