SB 1005 - HB 1180
FISCAL NOTE
Fiscal Review Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
March 14, 2025
Fiscal Analyst: Natalie Dusek | Email: natalie.dusek@capitol.tn.gov | Phone: 615-741-2564
SB 1005 - HB 1180
SUMMARY OF BILL: Authorizes petitioners to file a singular petition for adoption or
termination of parental rights when seeking to adopt more than one child at the same time and the
children are siblings who share at least one biological parent, unless the court issues a written order
finding that it is in the best interest of the children that separate petitions be filed. Specifies that the
clerk of the court shall charge only one filing fee for such a petition.
FISCAL IMPACT:
NOT SIGNIFICANT
Assumptions:
• Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 36-1-116 and 36-1-113, a person seeking to adopt a child or
terminate parental rights must file a petition with the proper chancery, circuit, or juvenile
court. The clerk of the court may charge a fee for the filing of such a petition.
• The typical fee charged for petitions to adopt or terminate parental rights differs by county
and court. Based on a review of filing fees published by courts throughout the state, the
average fee is reasonably assumed to be approximately $200 per petition.
• The current practice of the clerks in any given jurisdiction regarding the relevant filings when
they pertain to biological siblings – whether one petition is allowed, or multiple petitions and
fees are required – is not known.
• However, it is assumed that specifically authorizing the petitioners to file one petition and
pay one fee in such cases is not estimated to result in a significant decrease in local revenue
to the clerks’ offices.
• Any fiscal impact to local revenue is therefore estimated to be not significant.
CERTIFICATION:
The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Bojan Savic, Executive Director