Senate Bill 262, also known as House Bill 386, amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated concerning the voluntary surrender of infants. The bill primarily changes the time frame for which a parent can voluntarily surrender an infant without facing legal repercussions. Specifically, it increases the allowable 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 terminology from "fourteen-day period" to "forty-five-day period" in Section 68-11-255(b)(1)(A).

The changes aim to provide parents with a longer window to make the decision to surrender an infant safely and legally, thereby potentially reducing the number of unsafe abandonments. The bill is set to 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)