House Bill 1699 and Senate Bill 1703 propose amendments to Tennessee Code Annotated concerning the definition of a dependent and neglected child. The bill introduces a new subdivision under Section 37-1-102(b)(13) that specifies a child may be considered dependent and neglected if their parent or guardian is unable to provide care and control due to circumstances beyond their control.

Additionally, the bill modifies Section 37-1-129 by designating an existing subdivision and adding a new requirement for adjudicatory hearings. Specifically, for a child to be classified as dependent and neglected under the new subdivision, the court must determine that the parent's or guardian's inability to provide care is indeed due to uncontrollable circumstances. This legislation aims to clarify the criteria for child dependency cases in Tennessee.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 37-1-102(b)(13), 37-1-102, 37-1-129