Continuing to Enhance School Security and Improve Adoptions
By State Senator Page Walley
Our General Assembly is eyeing adjournment and wrapping up its legislative business for the 2023 session. My Finance, Ways and Means Committee is set to vote on the budget this week, and then it will be taken up by the full Senate along with other remaining bills.
As part of comprehensive measures to strengthen security at schools across Tennessee, in the Senate we approved enhanced school safety legislation to improve safety standards and protocols at public and private schools. The legislation requires every public and private school to keep doors locked at all times while students are present and develop annual safety plans that must include a newly required incident command drill for school leaders and law enforcement to prepare for various emergencies. It authorizes local law enforcement to take corrective action against schools that fail to lock their doors.
This legislation was proposed months ago and has been continuously worked on throughout the session. It is the result of input from every committee and an unwavering commitment to do all we can to prevent future tragedies like the one at Covenant School. The important safety measures outlined in the bill will go a long way to ensuring our schools are secure. We also may consider additional legislation reinforcing our strong laws related to mental illness and suicidal and homicidal threats.
Strengthening enforcement against illegal adoption facilitators
One of the multiple bills related to adoption and foster care this session includes one I am sponsoring to protect expectant parents, prospective adoptive parents, and defenseless children against fraud by unlicensed and unregulated adoption facilitators. These facilitators are often based out of state and charge high, nonrefundable payments in advance – typically upwards of $50,000 – to match expectant parents with prospective adoptive parents. These facilitators provide no other service other than matchmaking and prey on victims through online advertising.
In Tennessee and in most states, these facilitators are currently prohibited, but enforcement has been a challenge. The bill strengthens enforcement of existing prohibitions against illegal adoption facilitators by enhancing the Consumer Protection Act to more specifically address the problem, and by creating an adoption facilitation claim under the state’s tort law. The bill allows for civil penalties against illegal facilitators of at least $100,000 in damages with the goal of deterring the crime by making it so cost prohibitive illegal facilitators won’t risk operating in Tennessee.
As we conclude the 2023 legislative session of our 113th General Assembly, I will be summarizing for you in the coming weeks, our various legislative achievements and their impacts in our district. I also look forward to continuing to visit across our district to work together on efforts to improve opportunities for our citizens and communities. Thank you for the privilege of serving as your state senator. Please reach out to me if I can be of assistance to you in any way at sen.page.walley@capitol.tn.gov or (615) 741-2368.
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