Senate Bill 1937 aims to enhance the legal framework surrounding the protection of children from abuse in Tennessee. The bill introduces a new subdivision to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-3-804(a), which includes the commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services or their designee as a relevant authority in child abuse cases. Additionally, it modifies existing provisions by expanding the definitions and responsibilities related to child protective teams and the commission's access to necessary records held by state agencies. The bill also updates the language regarding severe child abuse incidents and includes specific references to strangulation as a form of abuse.

Furthermore, the bill amends definitions related to abuse, neglect, and the infliction of torture, ensuring that strangulation is explicitly recognized within these contexts. It mandates that law enforcement officers refer victims of reported child sexual abuse to local child advocacy centers for forensic interviews and notify child protective teams. The provisions outlined in Sections 1-6 and 9 of the bill will take effect immediately upon becoming law, while the remaining sections will be effective from July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 37-3-804(a), 37-3-804, 37-3-804(b)(1)(A), 37-3-809, 37-3-809(1), 37-3-809(2), 37-1-102(b)(28)(A)(i), 37-1-102, 39-15-402(a)(3), 39-15-402, 39-13-506