Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee House Bill HB0347 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2		-	SENATE BILL 560
3		-	By Jackson
	2	+	<BillNo> <Sponsor>
4	3
5	4		HOUSE BILL 347
6	5		By Hurt
7	6
8	7
9	8		HB0347
10	9		001763
11	10		- 1 -
12	11
13	12		AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36;
14	13		Title 37 and Title 39, relative to children.
15	14
16	15		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
17	16		SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-1-102(1)(D), is amended by
18	17		inserting the following before the period:
19	18		, but does not include the failure to meet the needs of a child solely due to financial
20	19		hardship unless reasonable material resources such as cash assistance, safe and stable
21	20		housing, or tangible goods have been offered to and refused by the parent
22	21		SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-1-113(i)(1), is amended by adding
23	22		the following as a new subdivision:
24	23		(U) The individual economic circumstances of each parent;
25	24		SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-1-113, is amended by deleting
26	25		subdivision (i)(2) and substituting:
27	26		(2) When considering the factors set forth in subdivision (i)(1):
28	27		(A) The court must not weigh a factor against a parent solely due to
29	28		financial hardship unless reasonable material resources such as cash
30	29		assistance, safe and stable housing, or tangible goods have been offered to and
31	30		refused by the parent; and
32	31		(B) The prompt and permanent placement of the child in a safe
33	32		environment is presumed to be in the child's best interest.
	33	+	SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-102(b)(1), is amended by
	34	+	designating the current language as subdivision (b)(1)(A) and adding the following as a new
	35	+	subdivision (b)(1)(B):
34	36
35	37
36	38		- 2 - 001763
37	39
38		-	SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-102(b)(1), is amended by
39		-	designating the current language as subdivision (b)(1)(A) and adding the following as a new
40		-	subdivision (b)(1)(B):
41	40		(B) "Abuse" does not exist when the alleged harm is solely due to a parent or
42	41		guardian's financial hardship, unless reasonable material resources such as cash
43	42		assistance, safe and stable housing, or tangible goods have been offered to and refused
44	43		by the parent or guardian;
45	44		SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-102(b)(13), is amended by
46	45		designating the current language as subdivision (b)(13)(A) and adding the following as a new
47	46		subdivision (b)(13)(B):
48	47		(B) "Dependent and neglected child" does not mean a child who meets any of
49	48		the criteria listed in subdivision (b)(13)(A) solely due to a parent or guardian's financial
50	49		hardship unless reasonable material resources such as cash assistance, safe and stable
51	50		housing, or tangible goods have been offered to and refused by the parent or guardian;
52	51		SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-102(b)(27), is amended by
53	52		designating the current language as subdivision (b)(27)(A) and adding the following as a new
54	53		subdivision (b)(27)(B):
55	54		(B) "Severe child abuse" does not include situations that meet any of the criteria
56	55		listed in subdivision (b)(27)(A) solely due to a parent or guardian's financial hardship
57	56		unless reasonable material resources such as cash assistance, safe and stable housing,
58	57		or tangible goods have been offered to and refused by the parent or guardian;
59	58		SECTION 7. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-147(a), is amended by inserting
60	59		the following language before the period:
61	60		; provided, that the juvenile court is not authorized to terminate the rights of a parent or
62	61		guardian solely due to a parent or guardian's financial hardship unless reasonable
	62	+	material resources such as cash assistance, safe and stable housing, or tangible goods
	63	+	have been offered to and refused by the parent or guardian
63	64
64	65
65	66		- 3 - 001763
66	67
67		-	material resources such as cash assistance, safe and stable housing, or tangible goods
68		-	have been offered to and refused by the parent or guardian
69	68		SECTION 8. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-157, is amended by deleting
70	69		subsection (d) and substituting:
71	70		(d) Subsection (a) does not impose criminal liability:
72	71		(1) Upon a mother based solely upon her act of delivering a newborn
73	72		infant to a facility pursuant to § 68-11-255; or
74	73		(2) Upon a parent or guardian solely due to a parent or guardian's
75	74		financial hardship unless reasonable material resources such as cash
76	75		assistance, safe and stable housing, or tangible goods have been offered to and
77	76		refused by the parent or guardian.
78	77		SECTION 9. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-1-166(h), is amended by adding
79	78		the following as a new subdivision:
80	79		(3) Ameliorate conditions of financial hardship outside of the parent or guardian's
81	80		financial ability to do so, unless reasonable material resources such as cash assistance,
82	81		safe and stable housing, or tangible goods have been offered to and refused by the
83	82		parent or guardian;
84	83		SECTION 10. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-15-401, is amended by adding
85	84		the following as a new subsection:
86	85		(j) For purposes of this section, abuse or neglect does not exist when the alleged
87	86		harm is solely due to a parent or guardian's financial hardship unless reasonable
88	87		material resources such as cash assistance, safe and stable housing, or tangible goods
89	88		have been offered to and refused by the parent or guardian.
90	89		SECTION 11. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.