NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee lawmakers will take up a solution to a problem that's putting children across the state in harm's way. A bill would punish parents who leave their children in the care of a sex offender.
Rep. Ron Gant out of Piperton developed the bill. He said this is an "increasing problem" in the state.
“In the 8th judicial district alone, there have been three recent cases where a mother allowed her minor child to be cared for by a known sex offender. They prosecuted the sex offender each time but could not prosecute the mother.”
Gant says District Attorneys came to him for help with changing this law. The bill would make it a class A misdemeanor for a parent who knowingly leaves their minor child in the care of a registered sex offender.
If they didn't know then this wouldn't apply.
There are more than 22,000 registered sex offenders in Tennessee. Rep. Gant says recent cases would've benefited from this bill. There is an exception if the parent is a sex offender, but there are no exceptions for other family members. This goes before a House subcommittee on Wednesday.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
