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 deletes subdivisions (a)(15) and (16) from Section 36-6-106(a) and substitutes 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, it modifies Section 36-6-106(g) to reflect this change by updating the reference from subdivisions (a)(1) to (16).

Furthermore, the bill revises Section 36-6-406(d)(1) by replacing the existing language with a focus on a parent's neglect or substantial nonperformance of parenting responsibilities, explicitly including the failure to pay court-ordered child support. This legislation aims to clarify the criteria for evaluating parental responsibilities in custody cases, emphasizing the importance of financial obligations in the context of child support. The act will 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