House Bill 368 amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-1304(a), by adding a new requirement for student instruction in grades nine through twelve. The bill mandates that students be educated on the protections provided under Tennessee's safe haven law, which allows a mother to voluntarily surrender an unharmed infant without facing criminal liability. The state board of education, in collaboration with the department of education, is tasked with developing guidelines for this instruction. Additionally, the department is encouraged to work with the nonprofit organization A Secret Safe Place for Newborns of Tennessee, Inc., to create educational materials that align with these guidelines.

The guidelines developed by the state board must be distributed to all local education agencies (LEAs) serving students in grades nine through twelve and to public charter high schools before the start of the 2025-2026 school year. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and will apply to the 2025-2026 school year and subsequent years.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-6-1304(a), 49-6-1304