The “First in Adoption” bill that many Tennessee attorneys and adoptive parents are following moved from the House committee process to the floor with a unanimous vote of the House Civil Justice committee. The committee is chaired my Mike Carter (R), an attorney and House prime sponsor of the bill.
The bill is set for the final House floor vote on April 4th. All members of the Tennessee House of Representatives will have the opportunity to vote at that time. If you like the bill, (see my March 22 blog for details) and want to be heard, call or email your Representative to ask for his or her support before Wednesday.
The bill is also moving in the Senate. It is on the Senate Judiciary Committee calendar today, April 2, at 1:30pm. Sometimes, on the first appearance before a committee, bills are discussed but no vote is taken. However, there could be a vote today. If “First in Adoption” receives a favorable vote in the Senate Judiciary, the next vote will be in the full Senate. (See the March 26thblog for more on the state legislative process.)
The legislative process is too dynamic to make predictions, but it is at least possible that “First in Adoption” could pass through both Houses before the middle of April.
No matter what happens, I’ll keep you up to date here.
