Senate Bill 262, also known as House Bill 386, amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated concerning the voluntary surrender of an infant. The bill primarily changes the time frame for which a parent can voluntarily surrender their infant without facing legal repercussions. Specifically, it increases the allowable surrender period from "fourteen (14)" days to "forty-five (45)" days in multiple sections, including Sections 36-1-102(1)(A)(v), 36-1-142(a), and 68-11-255(a)(4) and (6). Additionally, it modifies the reference to a "fourteen-day period" to a "forty-five-day period" in Section 68-11-255(b)(1)(A).

The bill aims to provide parents with a longer timeframe to make the decision to surrender their infant, potentially reducing the number of unsafe abandonments and ensuring that parents have adequate time to consider their options. The act will take effect upon becoming law, emphasizing the importance of public welfare in its implementation.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 36-1-102(1)(A)(v), 36-1-102, 36-1-142(a), 36-1-142, 68-11-255(a)(4), 68-11-255, 68-11-255(a)(6), 68-11-255(b)(1)(A)