(a) Unless otherwise prohibited by federal or state law, no child careagency licensed under this part shall place a dependent child on a wait list behind a child without a parent or legal guardian serving on active duty in the armed services of the United States, if the dependent child:
Terms Used In Tennessee Code 71-3-518
agency: means and only where the context requires in any other provision of law, a place or facility, regardless of whether it is currently licensed, that is operated as a family child care home, a group child care home, a child care center, or a drop-in center, as those terms are defined in this part, or that provides child care for five (5) or more children who are not related to the primary caregiver for three (3) or more hours per day. See Tennessee Code 71-3-501
Child care: means the provision of supervision and protection, and, at a minimum, meeting the basic needs, of a child or children for less than twenty-four (24) hours a day. See Tennessee Code 71-3-501
Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) Has a parent or legal guardian that is an active-duty member of the armed services of the United States; or(2) Has a parent who was killed, died as a direct result of injuries received or has been officially reported as being either a prisoner of war or missing in action while serving honorably as a member of the United States armed forces during a qualifying period of armed conflict or was formerly a prisoner of war or missing in action under such circumstances.(b) To be eligible under subdivision (a)(2), the dependent child or the legal guardian of the dependent child shall:
(1) Present official certification from the United States government that the parent veteran was killed or died as a direct result of injuries received while serving honorably as a member of the United States armed forces during a qualifying period of armed conflict; or(2) Present official certification from the United States government that the parent veteran has been officially reported as being a prisoner of war or missing in action while serving honorably as a member of the United States armed forces during a qualifying period of armed conflict or was formerly a prisoner of war or missing in action under such circumstances as appropriate within one hundred and eighty (180) days prior to applying for child care services.(c) As used in this section, “dependent child”, “qualifying period of armed conflict”, and “serving honorably” have the same meanings as in § 49-7-102.
