Senate Bill 1703, also known as House Bill 1699, amends Tennessee Code Annotated to address the circumstances under which a child may be considered dependent and neglected. The bill introduces a new subdivision under Section 37-1-102(b)(13) that specifies a child may be deemed dependent if their parent or guardian is unable to provide care and control due to circumstances beyond their control. This addition aims to clarify the criteria for determining a child's dependency status.

Furthermore, the bill modifies Section 37-1-129 by designating the existing subdivision (b)(1) as (b)(1)(A) and adding a new subdivision (b)(1)(B). This new provision mandates that for a child to be classified as dependent and neglected under the newly added subdivision (K), a court must conduct an adjudicatory hearing. During this hearing, the court must establish that the parent's or guardian's inability to provide care is indeed due to circumstances beyond their control. The act is set to take effect upon becoming law.

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