Here are bill numbers for key legislation we monitored or worked to advance in 2024.
SB1545/HB1554 Rose, Slater – FAILED in the House
Senate: Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 30, Nays 1
House: Did not reach the number of votes needed to pass on the house floor.
Salaries and Benefits – As introduced, establishes a program under which a state employee may receive up to six weeks of paid leave if the employee becomes a foster parent of a minor child. – Amends TCA Title 3; Title 8; Title 16 and Title 50.
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SB1941/HB2143 Haile, Martin, G – PASSED, Pub. Ch. 642
Senate: Passed Senate, Ayes 33, Nays 0, 2/22/2024
House: Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0, 3/18/2024
State Employees – As introduced, permits employees of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of state government to complete Tennessee foster parent training and in-service training during the course of their employment without having to use paid sick, annual, or compensatory time up to a certain amount of time. – Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 37 and Title 71.
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SB2007/HB1960 Campbell, Powell – PASSED, Awaiting Governor’s signature
Senate: Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 0, 4/18/2024
House: Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 2, PNV 1, 4/24/2024
Hospitals and Health Care Facilities – As introduced, authorizes public hospitals, upon approval of the hospital’s governing body, to establish a state employee and retiree healthcare incentive program that will allow for the waiver of applicable out-of-pocket expenses associated with medical care at the public hospital for state employees and retirees and their covered dependents participating in the state group insurance plan. – Amends TCA Title 8, Chapter 27.
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SB2081/HB2088 Johnson, Lamberth – PASSED, Pub. Ch. 847
Senate: Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0, 3/4/2024
House: Passed H., Ayes 95, Nays 0, PNV 0, 4/16/2024
Military – As introduced, authorizes the military department to administer a critical skills retention bonus program to be used to award retention bonuses of up to $10,000 to enlisted service members in the Tennessee National Guard; entitles certain state employees who are members of a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States or the national guard to special leave with partial pay during a period in which the members have been called to active duty. – Amends TCA Title 58, Chapter 1, Part 1.
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SB1840/HB1815 – Bill failed in committee
Senate: Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee
House: Failed in s/c Children & Family Affairs Subcommittee of Civil Justice Committee 3/12/24
Foster Care – As introduced, establishes a pilot program for five years to allow private entities to provide foster care services to qualifying children; requires the department of children’s services to create a process for selecting children for the program; directs the pilot program to submit monthly reports to the state foster care review board; requires the comptroller to audit the program. – Amends TCA Title 4; Title 36 and Title 37.
