House Bill 106 amends Tennessee Code Annotated regarding exemptions from child care licensing. The bill redefines "drop-in center" to specify that such facilities can care for fifteen or more unrelated children for short periods, not exceeding eighteen hours per week and nine hours per day, with provisions for evening and weekend care. Additionally, it limits training requirements for staff at drop-in centers to basic health and safety precautions and child abuse detection. The bill also revises the criteria for various programs to qualify for licensing exemptions, including after-school care, educational programs, and recreational activities, while establishing specific operational guidelines and record-keeping requirements for these exempt programs.

The bill introduces new categories of exempt care, such as "Parents' Day Out," "Parents' Night Out," and "Gym Care," each with distinct criteria for operation and registration with the department. It mandates that exempt programs must inform parents about their unlicensed status and maintain records for oversight. Furthermore, the Department of Human Services is authorized to create rules to implement the act, which is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 71-3-501(8), 71-3-501, 71-3-503