Legislative Update Week Ending 3-19-2021

TSEA March 19, 2021 Comments Off on Legislative Update Week Ending 3-19-2021
Legislative Update Week Ending 3-19-2021

This week forward movement continued for TSEA initiated bills affecting state employees.

House Sponsor Rep. Gary Hicks moved HB1016, 401(k)-match bill unanimously out of the House Public Service and Employees Subcommittee on Tuesday. This bill is set on the State Government Committee’s calendar next week for Tuesday, March 23.

We appreciate House Bill Sponsor Rep. Hicks (House District 9, Rogersville) for his work on this bill. Also, we are grateful to the committee members for voting a unanimous “yes” and for their bipartisan support of this legislation and state employees.

Thank You, Public Service and Employees Committee, for your support of state employees!

Rep. Esther Helton – Chair (House District 30, East Ridge)
Rep. Curtis Johnson – Deputy Speaker (House District 68, Clarksville)
Rep. Pat Marsh – Speaker Pro Temp (House District 62, Shelbyville)
Rep. Kelly Keisling – (House District 38, Byrdstown)
Rep. Rebecca Alexander – (House District 7, Jonesborough)
Rep. Darren Jernigan – (House District 60, Old Hickory)
Rep. John Mark Windle – (House District 41, Livingston)


Likewise, House Sponsor Tom Leatherwood passed HB1114 unanimously out of the House State Government Committee. This bill would provide childcare services for the children of state employees. It now goes to the House Government Operations Committee on Monday, March 22.  

We appreciate House Bill Sponsor Rep. Leatherwood (House District 99, Arlington) for his work on this bill. In addition, we are thankful for the committee members as they voted unanimously in favor of the childcare bill and for their continued bipartisan support of this legislation and state employees.

Thank You, State Government Committee, for your support of state employees!

Rep. Kelly Keisling – Chair (House District 38, Byrdstown)
Rep. Rick Eldridge – Vice Chair (House District 10, Morristown)
Rep. Rebecca Alexander – (House District 7, Jonesborough)
Rep. Bill Beck – (House District 51, Nashville)
Rep. Rush Bricken – (House District 47, Tullahoma)
Rep. Dale Carr – (House District 12, Sevierville)
Rep. Michele Carringer – (House District 16, Knoxville)
Rep. Jesse Chism – (House District 85, Memphis)
Rep. Barbara Cooper – (House District 86, Memphis)
Rep. Curtis Halford – (House District 79, Dyer)
Rep. Esther Helton – (House District 30, East Ridge)
Rep. John B. Holsclaw, Jr. – (House District 4, Elizabethton)
Rep. Bud Hulsey – (House District 2, Kingsport)
Rep. Darren Jernigan – (House District 60, Old Hickory)
Rep. Curtis Johnson – (House District 68, Clarksville)
Rep. Mary Littleton – (House District 78, Dickson)
Rep. Pat Marsh – (House District 62, Shelbyville)
Rep. Jerome Moon – (House District 8, Maryville)
Rep. Jason Powell – (House District 53, Nashville)
Rep. John Mark Windle – (House District 41, Livingston)


Other news:

House and Senate budget hearings continued this week with TSEA attending several of them and meeting with department officials to gain a deeper understanding of some budget items. Budget amendment filing deadlines are approaching, and we will summarize items TSEA will be supporting in the coming weeks.  

All current bill statuses are included below. Budget hearings also continue next week, and we will keep you up to date on notable details from those presentations.


Bill Status for TSEA Legislative Agenda Bills:

Burden of Proof
SB0361 | HB0954 
Bill Sponsors:
Sen. Hensley, Sen. Yager
Rep. Eldridge, Rep. Littleton
Senate Status: 3-16-2021 – Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3-23-2021
House Status: 3-17-2021 – Placed on subcommittee calendar Public Service Subcommittee for 3-24-2021

Match on 401(k)
SB0516 | HB1016 
Bill Sponsors:
Sen. Briggs
Rep. Hicks
Senate Status: 3-16-2021 – Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3-23-2021
House Status: 3-17-2021 – Placed on cal. State Government Committee for 3-23-2021

Child care authorization
SB0022 | HB1114
Bill Sponsors:
Sen. Kyle, Co-sponsor Sen. Gardenhire
Rep. Leatherwood
Senate Status: 3-11-2021 – Received from Senate, held on House desk
House Status: 3-17-2021 – Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 3-22-2021

Pension Transfer
SB1520 | HB1540
Bill Sponsors:
Sen. Roberts
Rep. Weaver
Senate Status: 2-22-2021 – Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
House Status: 3-17-2021 – Placed on subcommittee calendar Public Service Subcommittee for 3-24-2021

Restore Longevity for all
SB0402 | HB0414
Bill Sponsors:
Sen. Jackson
Rep. Sparks
Senate Status: 2-10-2021 – Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
House Status: 2-10-2021 – Passed on Second Consideration, refer to State Government Committee; Assigned to subcommittee Public Service Subcommittee