Children's Services, Dept. of

Plain English Breakdown

It is unclear what specific actions child care agencies must take to correct violations.

Children's Services Department Registry Act

This bill requires the Tennessee Department of Children's Services to create and maintain an online registry for child care agencies by July 1, 2027, publish inspection reports, and provide information about licensing processes and safety concerns.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the department to establish a web-based registry by July 1, 2027, containing details on licensed or approved child care agencies excluding private family boarding homes and foster homes.
• Includes in the registry information such as agency status, violations, adverse actions, inspection results, and other relevant data.
• Prohibits the inclusion of addresses for private family boarding homes and foster homes, along with personal identifying information about children and foster parents.
• Requires the department to publish full monitoring and inspection reports online in plain language or summary form.
• Establishes a process for child care agencies to take corrective action on violations as needed.

Who It Names or Affects

• The Tennessee Department of Children's Services
• Child care agency providers
• Parents seeking information about child care services

Terms To Know

Registry

A database or list that contains specific information for public access.

License-exempt provider

An entity providing child care services without a formal license from the state.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much funding will be provided beyond fiscal years 2026-27 and 2027-28.
• It is unclear what specific actions child care agencies must take to correct violations.
• The exact nature of the 'other relevant information' included in the registry has not been defined.

Official Summary Text

On or before July 1, 2027,
this bill requires
the department
of children's services ("department") to
establish an easily accessible, web-based, child care agency registry, through which members of the public may obtain
all of
the following information:



A list of licensed or approved child care agencies, excluding private family boarding homes and foster homes, that differentiates between licensed and license-exempt providers and is searchable by zip code
.


The current status of a child care agency's license or approval
.


Information concerning violations by a licensed or approved child care agency
.


Information concerning any adverse licensing action taken against a licensed or approved child care agency
.


Information concerning licensed or approved child care agency inspections
.


Other relevant information.

However, this bill prohibits the
registry
from
contain
ing
the address of a private family boarding home or foster home or information identifying an individual child or foster parent.

MONITORING AND INSPECTION REPORTS

This bill requires the department to
publish online in a timely manner full monitoring and inspection reports, either in plain language or with a plain language summary, and
to
establish a process for licensed and license-exempt child care agencies to take corrective action to cure violations, where applicable. The reports must include
(i) h
ealth and safety violations, including fatalities and serious injuries occurring at the child care agency;
(ii) i
nformation on corrective action requested by the depar
tment, where applicable; and
(iii) a
minimum of three years of results, where available.

PUBLIC INFORMATION

This bill requires the department to
collect and disseminate
all of
the following information to the general public and providers through an easily accessible website:



Department processes, including
t
he process for licensing child care agencies;
t
he process for conducting monitoring and inspections of child care agencies; and
p
rocesses for reporting, receiving, and reviewing complaints related to health and safety concerns, including licensing violations, at child care agencies
.


Policies and procedures related to criminal background checks for child care agencies
.


The offenses that prevent individuals or entities from serving as child care agencies
.


An annual list of facilities the department contracts with or otherwise utilizes to provide residential child care to children and youth in state custody that are not licensed or approved by the department, including information about which entity does license or approve those facilities, and information about how health and safety concerns can be reported about those facilities
.


Directions on how the general public can contact the department and other programs to help them understand the information on the website.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 2349
By Littleton

SENATE BILL 2647
By Roberts
SB2647
012590
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37,
Chapter 5, Part 5, relative to licenses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 5, Part 5, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) On or before July 1, 2027, the department shall establish an easily
accessible, web-based, child care agency registry, through which members of the public
may obtain the following information:
(1) A list of licensed or approved child care agencies, excluding private
family boarding homes and foster homes, that differentiates between licensed
and license-exempt providers and is searchable by zip code;
(2) The current status of a child care agency's license or approval;
(3) Information concerning violations by a licensed or approved child care
agency, including:
(A) The identity of the child care agency;
(B) The date of the violation;
(C) The number of serious injuries and deaths that occurred as a
result of the violation;
(D) Action taken by the department in response to the violation;
and
(E) Corrective action taken by the child care agency;
(4) Information concerning any adverse licensing action taken against a
licensed or approved child care agency, including:

- 2 - 012590

(A) The identity of the child care agency;
(B) The date of the adverse licensing action; and
(C) The type of adverse licensing action;
(5) Information concerning licensed or approved child care agency
inspections, including:
(A) The date of the most recent inspection; and
(B) The results of each inspection, including any requested
corrective action; and
(6) Other relevant information.
(b) The registry described in subsection (a) must not contain the address of a
private family boarding home or foster home or information identifying an individual child
or foster parent.
(c) The department shall publish online in a timely manner full monitoring and
inspection reports, either in plain language or with a plain language summary, and shall
establish a process for licensed and license-exempt child care agencies to take
corrective action to cure violations, where applicable. The reports must include:
(1) Health and safety violations, including fatalities and serious injuries
occurring at the child care agency;
(2) Information on corrective action requested by the department, where
applicable; and
(3) A minimum of three (3) years of results, where available.
(d) The department shall collect and disseminate the following information to the
general public and providers through an easily accessible website:
(1) Department processes, including:
(A) The process for licensing child care agencies;

- 3 - 012590

(B) The process for conducting monitoring and inspections of
child care agencies; and
(C) Processes for reporting, receiving, and reviewing complaints
related to health and safety concerns, including licensing violations, at
child care agencies;
(2) Policies and procedures related to criminal background checks for
child care agencies;
(3) The offenses that prevent individuals or entities from serving as child
care agencies;
(4) An annual list of facilities the department contracts with or otherwise
utilizes to provide residential child care to children and youth in state custody that
are not licensed or approved by the department, including information about
which entity does license or approve those facilities, and information about how
health and safety concerns can be reported about those facilities; and
(5) Directions on how the general public can contact the department and
other programs to help them understand the information on the website.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.