House Bill 492 amends Tennessee Code Annotated regarding child custody by updating specific provisions related to parental responsibilities and factors considered by the court. The bill modifies Section 36-6-106(a) by deleting subdivisions (a)(15) and (16) and replacing them with new language that includes the failure to pay court-ordered child support as a relevant factor in custody decisions, along with any other factors deemed relevant by the court. Additionally, Section 36-6-106(g) is amended to reflect this change by updating the reference from subdivisions (a)(1) to (a)(16).

Furthermore, the bill revises Section 36-6-406(d)(1) to address a parent's neglect or substantial nonperformance of parenting responsibilities, explicitly including the failure to pay court-ordered child support as a significant consideration. This legislation aims to ensure that financial responsibilities are taken into account in custody determinations, thereby reinforcing the importance of fulfilling court-ordered support obligations in the context of child custody cases. The act is set to take effect upon becoming law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 36-6-106(a), 36-6-106, 36-6-106(g), 36-6-406(d)(1), 36-6-406