[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6301223,"mediaKeyId","2489037-3f5e68a80f8ec7233ad653ed9fc06b05","parentId",2489037,"title","Subcommittee approves funding increase for child advocacy centers, bill advances","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",4349000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2489037-3f5e68a80f8ec7233ad653ed9fc06b05&start=4349&end=4349","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2489037-3f5e68a80f8ec7233ad653ed9fc06b05/thumbnail_4349000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6301223/Tennessee/Subcommittee-approves-funding-increase-for-child-advocacy-centers-bill-advances","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301223-331ad0beb1f8885bbc951aa29c90c537/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140175&Signature=jQV9tvFc2v9s5n2ADV-MMEoWYA-s2pXQOZPUapw1WSE2g-3KOWoSY4TJjt~MBmQ~uQHuv35Gjve4UqK5QqdeSr7Lanvh7EFaNhqnN8MerBsWe5hYIU9TUfjpXs9vRDOj7-MwBIDNRLlqBJDH13pbSr252Dt7NNE8kMQyCtQEFAGMdXbVtONuBCdU6tj0TzTf~KkrwbjVx4t2Z53GMObVyyIDvbPVrkLKr0GdROqrkjwr08JqZoaD5JkmVQg2Dats3l-M7UUwWEmLuh5lIXe0oOoXvnNrBlvpCqrebQ2K~Z6F2YUHMeUvZHz1rG65HBA4O3yxabX7besVVIHzQW-5jQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-03-04T00:00:00Z","article","House Bill 641, sponsored by Representative Carringer, passed the Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee and will proceed to the full Judiciary Committee after a 6-0 voice vote with one present-not-voting.

The bill addresses what advocates described as a 25-year funding shortfall for Tennessee's 32 accredited child advocacy centers (CACs). Representative Carringer and witnesses explained that CACs provide coordinated forensic interviews, victim advocacy, medical exams and mental-health services for child-abuse victims and argued current state contract amounts have not kept pace with rising costs and caseloads.

Riley King, a survivor who identified herself as working with Childhelp, gave a personal testimonial about receiving a forensic interview and therapy and described the role CACs played in her prosecution and recovery. Eddie Smith, director of organizational advancement for Childhelp, told the committee that the number of children served has increased dramatically (32 centers serving some 32,000 children, according to his statement) and said per-child funding and base contract amounts have eroded since the early 2000s. Smith said a prior one-time appropriation helped, but that recurring contract increases are needed to avoid operating deficits and to sustain satellite offices and travel-based services.

Department of Children's Services legislative director Jim Layman said DCS does not oppose increased funding for CACs but objected to the bill's automatic-increase mechanism. DCS told the committee the bill ties future CAC contract increases to increases in the department's child-protective-services budget (a proposed 75 percent match mechanism), which could constrain future appropriations and create fiscal complications. DCS called its opposition “philosophical and fiscal” and noted a roughly $4.2 million fiscal note not included in the governor's proposal.

Committee members heard questions about how many forensic interviewers are funded, contract terms, and the role of community fundraising. Witnesses said there are 34 funded forensic-interviewer contracts and additional interviewers funded through VOCA and other sources; CAC operating budgets vary and many centers conduct local fundraising while also serving multiple counties.

After discussion the committee approved House Bill 641 and sent it to Judiciary. The clerk recorded six ayes, zero nays and one present-not-voting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee\tMar 4, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 641 would raise base contract and forensic-interviewer funding for Tennessee's child advocacy centers to account for long-standing shortfalls; the subcommittee approved the measure and advanced it to full judiciary by voice vote (6-0-1).","taxTitle","Children and Family Affairs, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Tennessee","taxId",79850,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6301228,"'Poverty is not neglect' bill debated; sponsor agrees to delay for legal drafting",1027,1674000,2701000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2489037-3f5e68a80f8ec7233ad653ed9fc06b05&start=1674&end=2701","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2489037-3f5e68a80f8ec7233ad653ed9fc06b05/thumbnail_1674000.jpg","/articles/6301228/Tennessee/Poverty-is-not-neglect-bill-debated-sponsor-agrees-to-delay-for-legal-drafting","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301228-e3d88d22061a52b63e0268617b18906f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140175&Signature=K6gO8OL8D857--dB0Gu6J3A8np0O5QD39WZ~1XtusqUxvgbVjZKlQpjQZXg~FyQF-9WZcCDFg3M958o4wEzA7Up3p0uyvs1ocKHcMnRzyFQDBsmlXNeBixXwtjURH-SBm7DEKbOk2F92Ox5Z5nOksCJBHG0Etr2PAuyk~IxnHPGVB70MWTr4PmIHgihpPRC9ZYSqLmXZIvSEgkBPrqZ0kCtOTzKr65LuL4dcdRUqdx~T2p~bIGLefUTzaylnuQpLm6rvgl2SZvllX-G51cTgCrx~L3S9U2RClmtEFS6gq4lMz4WY4na5DuctEDTrE3chmetZsjHgou9TBDi4x6APIQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee heard extended testimony and debate on House Bill 347, a measure the sponsor described as clarifying that poverty, by itself, should not be treated as child neglect.

Sponsor Representative Hurt said the bill codifies a policy intended to prevent unnecessary investigations and family separations by making clear that alleged harm \"solely due to financial hardship\" does not constitute neglect unless reasonable material resources have been offered and refused. She and supporters cited model language used in Texas and Iowa and said those states saw decreases in some child-welfare system measures after similar changes.

Public witnesses and advocates, including Nina Gurak of Healthy and Free Tennessee, testified in favor of the bill and cited results from Texas. Gurak said Texas saw a 50 percent decrease in Department of Children's Services cases following its changes and noted a multi-year decline in child death rates attributed to the policy shift.

The Department of Children's Services (DCS), represented by legislative director Jim Layman and Deputy General Counsel Sammie Mayfair, said it shares the bill's intent that poverty should not, by itself, be treated as neglect, but raised significant legal and practical concerns about the bill's current language. DCS said it trains staff not to remove children for poverty alone, described an existing decision tree used by the child-abuse hotline to screen referrals, and warned the bill's phrasing could shift the focus from the child's safety to the caregiver's financial circumstances. DCS counsel and the committee's legal services attorney, Michelle Fogarty, flagged that an amendment in the bill would change criminal and civil definitions of abuse and neglect and could be read to preclude a finding of abuse when reasonable resources had not been offered.

Committee members questioned DCS staff about the concrete factors investigators assess during home visits — for example, whether basic needs such as food, safe housing, and visible injuries are present. DCS witnesses described the assessment as holistic: investigators look for whether the home presents health hazards (rodent infestation, exposed wiring, feces), whether children are clothed and fed, and whether there are marks or bruises on a child. DCS emphasized that emergency removal authority is limited, subject to court review within 72 hours, and that termination-of-parental-rights and permanency processes could be affected by statutory changes.

Following extended discussion, Representative Hurt said she was willing to \"roll it a week\" to work with DCS and legal counsel on the bill's drafting, and the chair approved that postponement without objection. The record shows continuing concerns about litigation risk, evidentiary effects in court, and interaction with existing Tennessee law; committee members urged the sponsor and DCS to reconcile language before the bill returns to committee.

The committee did not adopt or reject the bill at this hearing; it was postponed for further drafting and negotiation.","Lawmakers debated House Bill 347, which would specify that harm \"solely due to financial hardship\" does not constitute neglect; Department of Children's Services raised legal and practical concerns and the sponsor agreed to roll the bill one week for further drafting and negotiation.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6301233,"Subcommittee approves amendment to allow attorney fees in grandparents-visitation cases",128,1113000,1241000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2489037-3f5e68a80f8ec7233ad653ed9fc06b05&start=1113&end=1241","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2489037-3f5e68a80f8ec7233ad653ed9fc06b05/thumbnail_1113000.jpg","/articles/6301233/Tennessee/Subcommittee-approves-amendment-to-allow-attorney-fees-in-grandparents-visitation-cases","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6301233-8bdff729decb7bd743f029ad16afce3c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140175&Signature=lvgtZ0UT70dQ0~4k1u78NBUqLDWu6A3pHOQzRdKnFH-gk1N9S8CyEOvmJQKkR9jDlf7IqDWffXiJi6j~-A-I3z~hZvd1GG9PDM~6L5GBhKzR-zS9FlNrtl41pINh6r9Ys8s~E88WiO4~vwRJAlBtaeV0MBHNZ3zoRlYqAddkS-L5w9~HR9Qd5L9lLLI2JrKUCqVUuyoxbGbV4s9Pk2P2uPXd~jNoefHcFvAJNN6fTMavjUtS-eohTFsFpSU-AuKI2kbM2n-PiSLyu9xpCcfRmp3~-9G88VmYzU72HPlSlBBdXM-o6AvCd3t7vcAC7EbsXhrL4JwI2UvOnUHKGMSWZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 492, a measure addressing grandparents' visitation rights, was amended and approved by the Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee and advanced to full judiciary on a 7-0 voice vote.

The bill's sponsor, Chairman Farmer, told the committee the measure was brought by the Tennessee Bar Association and the Family Law Executive Council and would permit a court to award reasonable attorney's fees and other litigation expenses to either party in an action for grandparent visitation brought under the statute the sponsor cited. He described the change as \"very simple\" and said it builds on prior efforts by the Legislature to clarify grandparents' rights.

Members asked no substantive legal questions on the floor during debate. Representative Towns and other members voiced support on policy grounds, with Towns thanking the sponsor and noting long-standing interest in grandparents' rights. The committee adopted amendment 003777 and then passed House Bill 492 as amended. The clerk recorded seven ayes; no individual roll-call names were recorded in the transcript.

The amendment was added on the floor after being properly motioned and seconded. After the voice vote the chair announced that House Bill 492 as amended \"moves out to full judiciary.\" No further action on the bill was taken during the session.

Because the committee transcript referenced a statutory citation verbally, the article limits its description to the text offered at the meeting and does not restate or correct that citation.

House Bill 492 now proceeds to the full Judiciary Committee for further consideration.","The Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee added an amendment to House Bill 492 to allow courts to award reasonable attorney fees and litigation expenses in cases seeking grandparent visitation; the amended bill moved out of subcommittee to full judiciary with a 7-0 voice vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Subcommittee approves funding increase for child advocacy centers, bill advances

'Poverty is not neglect' bill debated; sponsor agrees to delay for legal drafting

Subcommittee approves amendment to allow attorney fees in grandparents-visitation cases