2010 Tennessee Code
Title 36 - Domestic Relations
Chapter 1 - Adoption
Part 1 - General Provisions
36-1-141 - Fees for searches, registration of contact vetoes, and copies Promulgation of rules Forms.

36-1-141. Fees for searches, registration of contact vetoes, and copies Promulgation of rules Forms.

(a)  (1)  (A)  The department shall, by rules promulgated pursuant to the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, part 2, establish fees or charges for conducting any search or record disclosure, except for those pursuant to § 36-1-135, and for transmission of any data in connection with such searches, for:

                (i)  Providing any nonidentifying information;

                (ii)  Registering requests for contact vetoes;

                (iii)  Registering requests with the advance notice of registry; or

                (iv)  Providing copies of documents.

          (B)  The rules shall provide for waiver of any fees or charges based upon a person's ability to pay.

     (2)  Any fees or charges received by the department pursuant to the provisions of this part shall be deposited with the state treasurer in accordance with the provisions of § 9-4-301.

(b)  The department shall, by rules promulgated pursuant to the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, part 2, establish forms that shall be required for use by all Tennessee courts, agencies, and persons for:

     (1)  Surrenders and parental consents;

     (2)  Medical and social history information required by § 36-1-111;

     (3)  Revocation of surrenders and parental consents;

     (4)  Consents by minors or guardians ad litem required by § 36-1-117;

     (5)  Certifications of completion of counseling and the criteria for counseling and certifications of the completion of legal service required by § 36-1-111;

     (6)  Disclosure forms required pursuant to this part;

     (7)  Contact veto forms used in the surrender or parental consents pursuant to any other requirements of this part, or sworn statement forms required for access to records pursuant to any requirements of this part; and

     (8)  Releases of information.

(c)  (1)  The forms required by subsection (b) shall be promulgated pursuant to the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, part 2, and shall be mandatory forms, and shall, notwithstanding any law to the contrary, be effective as public necessity rules on the dates any of the sections of this part necessitating their promulgation become effective as provided by this part; provided, that the provisions of the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, part 2, related to promulgation of such forms as permanent rules must be followed.

     (2)  (A)  Unless otherwise specifically directed by the general assembly, no provision of Acts 1996, ch. 1054, or any other law that may necessitate the modification of any of the mandatory forms that may be required by this part or any other title of Tennessee Code Annotated at any time shall require the modification of any existing form or use of any new form until the department or its successor agency providing adoption services under this part pursuant to any executive order or pursuant to any other legislation promulgates such form as a permanent rule and such rule is effective, or unless it is determined by the department or its successor agency providing adoption services under this part pursuant to any executive order or pursuant to any other legislation that such change must be made under any requirements of § 4-5-209(a).

          (B)  No surrender, revocation, adoption or any other activity requiring the use of any form promulgated pursuant to this part shall be defective, void or invalid because it is undertaken using any form that is in effect as a promulgated and effective rule of the department or its successor agency providing adoption services under this part pursuant to any executive order or pursuant to any other legislation on the date of such action, whether or not any new or amended provision of Acts 1996, ch. 1054, or any law has been enacted prior to the date of such action, until such form has been promulgated and is effective as a permanent rule, or as otherwise required by § 4-5-209(a). It is the intent of the general assembly to preclude in any manner questions concerning the validity of any adoption or related proceeding or procedure due to the failure or inability of the department or its successor agency providing adoption services under this part pursuant to any executive order or pursuant to any other legislation to make timely changes to such mandatory forms.

     (3)  Notwithstanding the provisions of the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, part 2, or any other provision of Acts 1996, ch. 1054, to the contrary, any forms promulgated by the department, or its successor state agency providing adoption services under this part pursuant to any executive order or pursuant to any other legislation, which forms are related to any provisions of this part for the implementation of the contact veto or consent to contact or release of identifying information process involving the access to records pursuant to this part, shall be effective as public necessity rules, following approval of such public necessity rules by the attorney general and reporter, upon the date of the filing of such rules with the secretary of state; provided, that the provisions of the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, part 2, relative to the promulgation of such rules as permanent rules must be followed.

(d)  Any other rules required by the departments of children's services, health, and general services to effect implementation of the provisions of this part upon the effective dates of any sections in this part, including rules establishing fees and charges for services, shall, notwithstanding any law to the contrary, be effective as public necessity rules on the date of filing such rules; provided, that the provisions of the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, part 2, related to promulgation of such rules as permanent rules must be followed.

(e)  The departments of children's services, health, and general services shall be authorized to promulgate such other rules pursuant to the provisions of the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, part 2, as may be necessary for the implementation of the provisions of this part.

(f)  The departments of children's services, health and general services shall make master copies of all forms necessary for compliance with Acts 1995, ch. 532, available to all clerks of courts with adoption or surrender jurisdiction, to the administrative office of the courts, to the department of children's services' county offices, to all licensed child-placing agencies and to any persons requesting them. Such master copies may then be duplicated and such exact duplicates shall be valid for any use required by this part. Master copies may, in addition, be provided to the clerks, the administrative office of the courts, the department of children's services' county offices, to all licensed child-placing agencies and to any persons requesting them by any suitable electronic medium as is deemed suitable to each of the departments for its purposes. Electronic facsimile copies of the forms prescribed under this section shall be valid for use as may be required.

[Acts 1995, ch. 532, § 1; 1996, ch. 1054, §§ 100, 101, 126; 1996, ch. 1079, § 69; 1998, ch. 1022, § 2.]