This bill creates a committee to study the establishment of incarcerated parenting plans to facilitate the ongoing relationships between incarcerated parents and their children within this state. The goal of the study is to determine whether the routine establishment of parenting plans would benefit both incarcerated parent and the children of incarcerated parents and in doing so to better serve the citizens of this state. If the committee determines that establishment would benefit the citizens of this state, the committee shall produce a model incarcerated parenting plan that may assist courts and incarcerated parents and publish the model incarcerated parenting plan on the website of the administrative office of the courts.
This bill requires the study committee to consist of the following 10 members: (i) two members of the house of representatives to be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, with one being from the majority party and one from the minority party; (ii) two members of the senate to be appointed by the speaker of the senate, with one being from the majority party and one from the minority party; (iii) the commissioner of children's services, or the commissioner's designee; (iv) the commissioner of correction, or the commissioner's designee; (v) the commissioner of human services, or the commissioner's designee; (vi) the administrative director of the administrative office of the courts, or the administrative director's designee; (vii) the president of the council of juvenile and family court judges, or the president's designee; and (viii) the executive director of the Tennessee commission on children and youth, or the executive director's designee.
This bill prohibits the members from receiving compensation for serving on the committee but allows reimbursements for attendance at meetings in accordance with the comprehensive travel regulations promulgated by the commissioner of finance and administration and approved by the attorney general.
This bill requires the committee to be convened by the commissioner of correction, or the commissioner's designee, and at its first meeting, the study committee shall elect a chair, vice chair, and such officers as the committee deems necessary. At the request of the committee, the various agencies and entities of state government must assist the committee in the performance of its duties.
This bill also requires the study committee to timely report its initial findings and recommendations to the civil justice committee of the house of representatives and the judiciary committee of the senate by December 1, 2024, including a copy of any model incarcerated parenting plan and any proposed legislation. The study committee must issue a final report by February 1, 2025, at which time the study committee ceases to exist.