Foster Care - As enacted, expands the provision of voluntary extended foster care services by the department of children's services to include young adults between 20 and 23 who were in the custody of the department at t, the official text

.. --,;;;E·
-~-·<~-P...~.~·"-·i~~vi-·
/0/,,IJl4 •,, E\\@):
: ~f(M • r..:1~
                           }!~ •

            '•....... -

$tate of \!Cennessee

PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 333

                                                  HOUSE BILL NO. 103

                        By Representatives Lamberth, Cochran, Littleton, Harris

                                       Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 1266

                                       By Senators Johnson, Rose, Bowling

         AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37; Title 49 and Title 55, relative to
department of children's services programs.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-2-604(d), is amended by deleting
the language "twenty-first" and substituting "twenty-third".

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-2-604(c), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting:

                    (c) The extension of foster care services may be provided on a voluntary basis
          to a young adult who was in the custody of the department at the time of the young
          adult's eighteenth birthday or a young adult who was adopted from, or approved for
          subsidized permanent guardianship by, the department and was at least sixteen (16)
          years of age but less than eighteen (18) years of age at the time of adoption or
          approval for subsidized permanent guardianship. A young adult who satisfies either
          criterion may, from eighteen (18) years of age until twenty-three (23) years of age,
          receive extension of foster care services if the young adult is:

                              (1) Completing secondary education or a program leading to an
                    equivalent credential;

                              (2) Enrolled in an institution that provides postsecondary or career or
                    technical education;

                              (3) Participating in a program or activity designed to promote
                    employment or remove barriers to employment;

                               (4) Employed for at least eighty (80) hours per month; or

                               (5) Incapable of doing any of the activities in subdivisions (c)(1 )-(4) due
                    to a medical condition, including a developmental or intellectual condition, which
                     inability is supported by regularly updated information in the young adult's
                     permanency plan. In such a case, the young adult must be in compliance with a
                     course of treatment as recommended by the department.

            SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 37-2-604(e)(4), is amended by
  deleting the subdivision and substituting:

                     (4) If the young adult did not achieve permanency through adoption or
           subsidized permanent guardianship, attend a court hearing or administrative review
           every six (6) months until reaching twenty-one (21) years of age.

            SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-179, is amended by deleting
  "a minimum of five (5) public institutions" and substituting "participating institutions" and by
  deleting "public" wherever it appears and substituting "participating".

            SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-179, is amended by deleting
  subsection (d).

            SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-50-312, is amended by deleting
HB103
 subsection (h) and substituting:

                    (h) A person must not be charged a fee for issuance, renewal, or reinstatement
          of a driver license, instruction permit, intermediate driver license, or photo identification
          card if the person's application is accompanied by evidence that the person is:

                              (1) Under eighteen (18) years of age and in the custody of the department
                    of children's services; or

                              (2) Receiving services under the department of children's services
                    extension of foster care program or juvenile justice programs.
          SECTION 7. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.

                                                                 2
         HOUSE BILL NO. 103

PASSED:  April 14, 2025

                         CAMERO'N"'SEXTON,SPEAKER
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                         -- ""'.. . ~~
                         ~           -  ~RA..~ ND"Y-M-c't

                            '        SPEAKER OF THE SENATE

APPROVED this ::),.,,J_ day of (V\~     2025

    ~ UL -

BILL LEE, GOVERNOR