HOUSE BILL NO. 1329

By Representatives Jackson, McMillan, Bowers, Odom, John DeBerry, Eckles, Brenda Turner, Langster, Ulysses Jones, Hood, Kent, Ralph Cole, Boner

Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 912

By Senators Gilbert, Cohen, Person, McNally

AN ACT to enact the "1-800-No Abuse Act of 1997".

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

SECTION 1. The Department of Children's Services, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, and the Department of Finance and Administration are hereby directed to jointly conduct a study relative to establishing a statewide toll-free telephone number for the purpose of receiving reports of known or suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of children or adults.

SECTION 2. The departments shall notify each member of the General Assembly of any meeting to be held concerning such study. A notice of each such meeting shall be posted in legislative plaza in Nashville at least one (1) week prior to the date of such meeting.

SECTION 3. The report compiled by the respective departments relative to such study shall outline a plan of procedure for the establishment, implementation and maintenance of the statewide toll-free telephone line. The report shall also estimate the initial and recurring costs of implementing and operating the statewide toll-free telephone line, including, but not limited to, equipment and personnel costs. The report shall also estimate the savings the statewide toll-free telephone line will generate for the State, both in fiscal and human terms, and including, but not limited to, the savings to the State that will be realized by earlier intervention in some cases of abuse, neglect and exploitation of children and adults.

SECTION 4. The report relative to such study shall be filed with the Governor and the Speakers of the Senate and the House of Representatives and made available to the public no later than December 1, 1997.

SECTION 5 . This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.