Adoption - As enacted, clarifies that a court may waive the requirement for a home study in an adoption when the prospective adoptive parent or parents are not related to the child if certain requirements are met. - Amen, the official text

!(~ff-/ AGRl       6, ..

: ~\\ "'-='~~::;,  H:

                   ]~ :

                     ~tate of \ltennessee

                           PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 878

                                                  HOUSE BILL NO. 1692

  By Representatives Reneau, Keisling, Harris, Bulso, Sherrell, Pearson, Butler, Powers,
                                         Davis, Bricken, Eldridge, Cepicky

                                       Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 1751

                                           By Senators Haile, Rose, Walley

          AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 36 and Title 37, relative to
adoption.

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

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 36-1-116(a), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:

                    (4)

                              (A) The court may waive the requirement for a home study in an adoption
                    when the prospective adoptive parent or parents are not related to the child if:

                                        (i) The child has resided in the home of the prospective adoptive
                              parent or parents for at least twelve (12) months;

                                        (ii) The prospective adoptive parent or parents were granted
                              custody of the child pursuant to a final order entered by a court of
                              competent jurisdiction following a full adjudication on the merits; and

                                        (iii) The petition to waive the home study includes:

                                                  (a) A current criminal history background check conducted
                                        through the Tennessee bureau of investigation; and

                                                  (b) A current search of the Tennessee sexual offender and
                                        violent sexual offender registry.

                              (8) The court must enter a written order making specific findings to
                    support a determination that waiving the home study is in the best interest of the
                    child.

                              {C) This subdivision (a)(4) does not require a court to waive a home
                    study. The decision to waive a home study remains within the sound discretion of
                    the court.

          SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
         HOUSE BILL NO. 1692

PASSED:  April 9, 2026

                        CAMEROr:rsEXTON,SPEAKER
                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                                        RANDY MC"'ALLY
                           SPEAKER OF THE SENATE

/Jpc; ~ APPROVED this   I
         day of               2026

      ~

BILL LEE, GOVERNOR