House Bill 1734 amends Tennessee law to require the Department of Children’s Services to record all interviews of children conducted during investigations of abuse or neglect. The recordings can be either audio or video. However, there are exceptions to this requirement: if an employee believed the interview was being recorded but a technical issue occurred, or if unforeseen circumstances prevented the recording, the lack of a recording will not affect the admissibility of any statements made by the child or other evidence from the interview. Additionally, all recordings made under this new provision will be considered confidential.

The bill emphasizes the importance of documenting interviews to ensure the integrity of investigations while also providing safeguards for situations where recording is not feasible. The new law is set to take effect on July 1, 2026, to allow for implementation and compliance.