House Bill 1692 and Senate Bill 1751 propose amendments to Tennessee's adoption laws, specifically within Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36 and Title 37. The bills aim to provide more flexibility in the adoption process by allowing courts to waive certain requirements. Notably, the amendments include provisions that enable the court to waive the requirement for a home study and the six-month waiting period if the child has already resided in the petitioners' home for six months, in addition to the existing allowance for related persons.

The bill modifies several sections of the law, including Section 36-1-116(a)(1) and Section 36-1-119(a), by replacing the language that previously limited waivers to cases involving related persons. The new language expands this to include situations where the child has lived with the petitioners for six months. Additionally, a new subdivision is added to Section 36-1-119(c), which outlines the conditions under which the court may waive the preliminary home study and expedite the adoption process. This legislation is designed to streamline the adoption process and prioritize the best interests of the child.

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)