2023 Legislation

To view our most recent Legislative Update, visit: https://tseaonline.org/category/legislative-updates/https://old.tseaonline.org/category/legislative-updates/
 
Here are bill numbers for key legislation we are monitoring or working to advance. For the most up to date status on a bill, click the hyperlinked bill number immediately below the title of the bill.
 
As a reminder, Livestreams and videos of legislative meetings and activities are accessible on the legislative calendar page at this link: https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/schedule/ 
 
—

401(k) increase | See Note Below

 
Summary: As introduced, increases from $50 to $100 the maximum amount that the state will match to an employee’s optional retirement plan; deletes an obsolete provision related to the state match for an employee’s optional retirement plan. – Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 25.
 
Status:
House: Assigned to Public Service Subcommittee
Senate: Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate State & Local Government Committee
 
Note: Governor Lee in his proposed budget recommended extending the 2:1 match for another year, and TSEA has shifted our focus from this bill to working to ensure this benefit is secured in the final budget for FY2023/2024. As a reminder, TSEA worked with your legislators last year to secure the current temporary 2:1 match in your 401(k) up to $50 each month until July, resulting in up to $100 in free contributions to your retirement account each month! If you aren’t taking advantage of this great benefit TSEA helped secure for you (and free money), please take a moment to do this for yourself, visit retirereadytn.com, and enroll today!
 
Progress (x indicates progress):
House: X X X O O O O O O O O O
Senate: X X O O O O O O O O O O
 
—
 

DCS Teachers into regular pay plan – Passed/On Governor’s Desk

 
Summary: As introduced, deletes various provisions related to the compensation of teachers in a special school district controlled by the commissioner. – Amends TCA Section 37-5-119.
 
Status:
House: 03/13/23 – House passed.
Senate: 02/27/23 – Senate passed with amendment 1 (003698).
 
Progress (x indicates progress):
House: X X X X X X X X X X X O
Senate: X X X X X X X X X X X O
 
—
 

Paid leave for birth or adoption of a child

SB0276 – Johnson | HB0324 Lamberth
 
Summary: As amended, provides 12 weeks of Paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child by a state employee.
 
Status:
House: 03/30/23 – Set for House Floor on 04/03/23.
Senate: 03/23/23 – Senate passed with amendment 1 (005808).
 
Progress (x indicates progress):
House: X X X O O O O O O O O O
Senate: X X X X X X X X X O O O
 
—
 

Expand Sick Leave Bank to cover care for a sick child – Passed/Signed by Senate Speaker, awaits House Speaker signature 

SB0533 – Haile | HB1151 White
 
Summary: As introduced, authorizes the grant of sick leave from a sick leave bank to a state employee to care for a sick child of the employee.
 
Status:
House: 03/23/23 – House passed.
Senate: 03/13/23 – Senate passed with amendment 1 (004707).
 
Progress (x indicates progress):
House: X X X X X X X X X X X O
Senate: X X X X X X X X X X X O
 
—
 

Paid leave for first-time foster parent or adoption – Bill taken off notice

SB0538 – Rose | HB1316 Kumar
 
Summary: As introduced, establishes a program under which a state employee may receive up to six weeks of paid leave as a first time foster parent or after the first adoption of a minor child
 
Status:
House: Taken off notice for cal in s/c Public Service Subcommittee of State Government Committee
Senate: Withdrawn
 
Progress (x indicates progress):
House: X X X O O O O O O O O O
Senate: X X O O O O O O O O O O
 
—
 

State Employees in military reserves to continue to accrue annual and sick leave

 
Summary: As introduced, establishes that full-time state employees who are members of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States, including the Tennessee army and air national guard, shall continue to accrue annual and sick leave the employee would ordinarily accrue during any period of absence from the employee’s respective duties for military service.
 
Status:
House: 03/08/23 – House Finance Subcommittee placed behind the budget.
Senate: 03/29/23 – Set for Senate State & Local Government Committee 04/04/23
 
Progress (x indicates progress):
House: X X X X O O O O O O O O
Senate: X X X O O O O O O O O O
 
—
 

Higher Education – Part-time employees to take retirement distributions during reemployment – Passed/On Governor’s Desk

 
Summary: As introduced, allows a person returning to service on other than a full-time basis in a position covered by the optional retirement program for higher education institutions to take or continue taking distributions from the optional retirement program during the period of reemployment under certain conditions.
 
Status:
House: 03/13/23 – House passed.
Senate: 03/20/23 – Senate passed
 
Note: This bill allows members using an alternative retirement system to return for 120 days, the same as members of TCRS.
 
Progress (x indicates progress):
House: X X X X X X X X X O O O
Senate: X X X X X X X X X O O O
 
—
 

Designate Juneteenth as a legal holiday

 
Summary: As introduced, changes the designation of June 19, known as “Juneteenth,” from a day of special observance to a legal holiday. – Amends TCA Title 15.
 
Status:
House: 03/29/23 – Set for House State Government Committee 04/05/23.
Senate: 03/23/23 – Senate passed.
 
Note: This bill intends to designate Juneteenth (June 19) as a state holiday.
 
Progress (x indicates progress):
House: X X X X O O O O O O O O
Senate: X X X X X X X X X O O O
 
—
 

TDOC Salary Increase |*Bill is not yet funded in the budget

SB0108 – Walley| HB0712 – Capley
 
Summary: As introduced, increases wages and salaries of preferred service employees of the department by 15 percent.
 
Status:
House: 03/29/23 – Set for House Finance, Ways & Means Subcommittee 04/05/23.
Senate: 01/20/23 – Referred to Senate State & Local Government Committee
 
Note: Because of the fiscal note associated with this bill, it will require funding through either the Governor’s supplemental budget or legislative action when the budget is reviewed later this spring. To view the fiscal note, click here.
 
Progress (x indicates progress):
House: X X X X O O O O O O O O
Senate: X X O O O O O O O O O O
 
—
 

TWRA – Deposits to the lifetime sportsman endowment fund

 
Summary: Removes the requirement that proceeds from the sale of lifetime sportsman licenses be deposited into the lifetime sportsman endowment fund.
 
Status:
House: 03/28/23 – House Finance, Ways & Means Committee recommended. Sent to House Calendar & Rules.
Senate: 03/21/23 – Senate Finance, Ways & Means Committee recommended. Sent to Senate Calendar Committee.
 
Note: This allows TWRA to more lucratively invest this fund in order to provide salary market study adjustments to employees. The money to update these salaries in TWRA was not provided for in the original funding.
 
Progress (x indicates progress):
House: X X X X O O O O O O O O
Senate: X X X O O O O O O O O O
 
—
 

Staffing of case managers by DCS |*Bill is not yet funded in the budget

 
Summary: Children’s Services, Dept. of – As introduced, requires the department to maintain staffing to allow case managers to have no more than 20 open cases, rather than an average of 20 active cases; states that a “person residing in the child’s home” includes a person living in a residential setting with a child who is in the custody of the department for purposes of reporting, investigating, and treating child sexual abuse.
 
Status:
House: 03/29/23 – Set for House Finance, Ways & Means Subcommittee 04/05/23.
Senate: 03/14/23 – Senate Judiciary Committee recommended with amendment 1 (005586). Sent to Senate Finance.
 
Note: The bill is just a caption bill so you must look at the amendment to see what the bill actually does. To view the amendment, CLICK HERE. In addition, the bill has a large fiscal note, and is not funded in the budget at this time – to view the fiscal note, CLICK HERE.
 
03/21/23 – House Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee recommended with previously adopted amendment 1 (005586), which requires the Commissioner of the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) to ensure that, by January 1, 2025, no case manager is responsible for more than 20 cases simultaneously, by January 1, 2026, no case manager is responsible for more than 18 cases simultaneously, and by January 1, 2027, no case manager is responsible for more than 15 cases simultaneously, except in certain circumstances.
 
Progress (x indicates progress):
House: X X X X O O O O O O O O
Senate: X X X O O O O O O O O O
 
—
 

Mandatory retirement age to 65 for certain groups of law enforcement

 
The amendment makes the bill. House Public Service Subcommittee amendment 1 (003495) raises, from $800 to $1,200, the annual pay supplement provided to local law enforcement officers for completing 40 hours of annual in-service training. Changes the mandatory retirement age for state employees and authorizes local jurisdictions to change their mandatory retirement age from age 60 to 65. Provides that supplemental benefits payable to those members under the 2007 or 1997 mandatory retirement provision cease at the age requirement for receipt of old age and survivors benefits under Social Security (age 62) or the month after the member’s death whichever is later. Establishes additional options and requirements for bridge benefits. Revises the base benefits improvement for both the legacy and hybrid retirement plans.
 
Status:
House: 03/29/23 – House State Government Committee deferred to the first calendar of 2024.
Senate: 03/29/23 – Senate Judiciary Committee deferred to 04/04/23.
 
Progress (x indicates progress):
House: X X X O O O O O O O O O
Senate: X X X O O O O O O O O O