Tennessee House Bill HB0672

Tennessee 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/26/23
• Refer: 2/1/23

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 5, relative to persons having an intellectual disability.

Impact

The bill provides a statutory framework that mandates the department to assess whether any child placed in a youth development center has an intellectual disability. This requirement could lead to more accurate identification and appropriate resource allocation for children with intellectual disabilities in state-run facilities. Such amendments could improve the quality of care and intervention strategies for affected children.

Summary

House Bill 672 seeks to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 5, which pertains to persons with an intellectual disability. The bill introduces a clear definition of 'intellectual disability,' which includes significantly subaverage general intellectual functioning and deficits in adaptive behavior that emerge during the developmental period or by the age of eighteen. This formalization aims to establish a consistent standard for identifying individuals requiring specific services and support.

Contention

There may be contention surrounding how the definitions and assessments outlined in the bill will be applied in practice, particularly in terms of the criteria used to determine intellectual disabilities. Stakeholders, including parents and advocacy groups for individuals with disabilities, might express concerns that the definitions set forth could either be too restrictive or lack the necessary sensitivity. The outcome of the bill could significantly influence educational and behavioral support services available to children with intellectual disabilities.