House Bill 1692 amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to adoption procedures. The bill allows courts to waive certain requirements for adoption when a child has already resided in the home of the petitioners for six months, in addition to the existing provision that allows waivers for related persons. Specifically, it modifies Section 36-1-116(a)(1) and Section 36-1-116(e)(1) to include this new criterion, and it also updates Section 36-1-119(a) to reflect this change.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new subdivision in Section 36-1-119(c) that permits the court to waive the preliminary home study, home study, and the six-month waiting period if the child has resided with the petitioners for six months and the court is satisfied that the adoption is in the child's best interest. This legislation aims to streamline the adoption process for children who have already established a home with their prospective adoptive parents. The act will take effect upon becoming law.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 36-1-116(a)(1), 36-1-116, 36-1-116(e)(1), 36-1-119(a), 36-1-119, 36-1-119(c)