Last week was a positive week for our legislative agenda, with several key bills advancing in the House and scheduled for committee consideration this week.
House Committee Hearings – Wednesday, March 12
Public Service Subcommittee – 10:30 a.m. CT
- HB1067 – Clarifies accountability measures in the TEAM Act appeals process. (We believe this bill will likely be rolled one week to March 19)
- HB0915 – Provides six weeks of leave for employees caring for a family member with a serious health condition.
Higher Education Subcommittee – Noon CT
- HB0789 – Expands access to higher education for students with intellectual disabilities by removing restrictive STEP UP scholarship requirements.
State and Local Government Committee – 1:30 p.m. CT
- HB1312 – Expands bereavement leave for state employees. In the Senate, the State and Local Government Committee advanced SB1285, which expands bereavement leave for state employees, to the Senate Calendar Committee. The bill has not yet been scheduled before the committee.
Higher Education Salary Funding
Last week, we noted that this year’s proposed budget does not include a consolidated section outlining the total funding pool for higher education salary increases. Instead, allocations are listed separately for each institution, with no designated percentage as a salary pool.
After further discussions with the budget office, we now have more details. The amounts allocated to higher education institutions in the governor’s proposed budget are based on a funding pool equivalent to a 2.63% salary increase, consistent with the funding pool for state employees. However, as in past years, it is important to remember that this does not determine actual raise percentages.
Higher education salary funding is included in a broader outcome growth cost increase, which supports both performance-based outcomes and salary adjustments. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s (THEC) outcomes-based formula determines how these funds are distributed across institutions. Each institution then decides how to allocate the funds, meaning salary increases will vary.
The same applies to state employees—while the budget sets aside a funding pool, actual raises and performance-based bonuses are determined at the department level and by the Department of Human Resources (DOHR).
FMLA and Accrued Leave Policy Update
On Monday, DOHR announced changes to how state employees can use accrued leave while on Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave.
Effective March 1, 2025, employees may now hold up to 10 days of accrued annual, compensatory, or sick leave per FMLA leave year. Previously, employees were required to exhaust all accrued leave before taking unpaid FMLA leave. This change provides greater flexibility by allowing employees to save a portion of their leave balance for use after returning to work.
Employees will have the option to elect how many days to hold and the type of leave during the FMLA application process. This policy does not affect FMLA eligibility, sick leave bank participation, or paid parental leave usage.
Northeast Legislative Breakfast
Pictured (L to R): TSEA Bd. Members LeAnn Martin (D12) and Dena Taylor (East TN VP), Rep. Timothy Hill and son, Rep. John Crawford, TSEA Sec. Jackie Coleman-Robinson, Sen. Rusty Crowe, TEAM PAC Chair Pat Bowman, Rep. Renea Jones, TSEA Bd. Member Tom Hill (D11), TSEA President Constance Smith-Burwell, and TSEA Gov. Affairs Dir. Evan Sudduth.
Pictured (L to R): TSEA Executive Director LaTanya McAdoo, Rep. Timothy Hill, Rep. John Crawford, TSEA Field Rep. Bryan Merritt, Sen. Rusty Crowe, Rep. Renea Jones, TSEA President Constance Smith-Burwell, and TSEA Gov. Affairs Dir. Evan Sudduth. Also in attendance (not pictured in either photo): TEAM PAC Member Carolyn Bond, TSEA Comms. Dir. Chris Dauphin, TSEA Creative Lead David Colon, TSEA Field Rep.Gary Goldberg, and TSEA Member Svcs. Dir. Lisa Moffett.
Discussions at the event covered key issues affecting state employees, including paid family leave, retirement benefits, and the importance of competitive compensation. Legislators also provided updates on other legislation aimed at strengthening their broader communities.
TSEA is grateful to the legislators who took time from their busy schedules to attend the Northeast Legislative Breakfast on Saturday, March 8, and engage with state and higher education employees. We appreciate the participation of Sen. Rusty Crowe, Rep. John Crawford, Rep. Timothy Hill, and Rep. Renea Jones. We also recognize and appreciate the support of Rep. Alexander, Rep. Hulsey, and Rep. Hicks, who were unable to attend due to prior commitments but sent messages of support to those in attendance.
Our thanks to these elected officials for their ongoing support and willingness to hear directly from those who serve Tennessee daily. We look forward to continued dialogue and strengthening these relationships moving forward.
Legislative Bills
CLICK HERE for the lastest update to legislation we are working to advance as part of our 2025 legislative agenda.
Additional bills may be added to this list as the legislative session progresses.
TSEA’s 2025 Legislative Agenda
- Supporting 6 weeks of paid leave if an employee becomes a foster parent to a minor child.
- Permanently increase the 401K match to $100.
- Initiate clarifications to the TEAM Act.
- Removing the TCRS cap of 3% to aid in more adequate COLA adjustments for retirees, when state funding is better.
- Expand funding for students with intellectual disabilities.
- Restore Longevity.
Additional items:
- Higher Ed: Work with state higher education institutions to standardize definitions and ensure the inclusion of professional staff in grievance policies across all public colleges and universities.
- Continue supporting the funding of market research/studies for employee pay increases.
Other Concerns Being Researched:
- Compression from salary range movement.
- Unfair hiring practices within some departments in state government.
- Contracting Practices
- Implementation of TDOT’s EPIC (Empowering People Influencing Culture) and hazardous pay via activity codes.
Important Links to Bookmark
- Legislative Schedules and Calendars: Stay updated on session schedules and access livestream links by visiting the Legislative Schedules and Calendars page.
- Find Your Elected Legislator: Use your address to locate your representatives here.
- House Members Directory: View the full list of House members.
- Senate Members Directory: View the full list of Senate members.
- Bills We’re Advancing or Monitoring: Stay informed about legislation we’re supporting or tracking by visiting the 2025 Legislation page.
- Legislative Updates: Access our weekly insights and highlights as they are published here.
- TSEA Historical Legislative Accomplishments: CLICK HERE to view TSEA’s Historical Legislative Accomplishments and complete Lobby Record.
Lobby Day
Our 2025 Lobby Day will be held on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Nashville, TN. Information was sent last month to chapter officers. Officers, check your inbox for registration details.
If you are not a chapter officer and are interested in attending Lobby Day, please contact your chapter for more details (your field rep can put you in contact with your local chapter leadership).
Don’t know your field rep and/or chapter information? Visit the chapter page on our website and select the county where you live using the dropdown box to learn your chapter and for your field rep’s contact information. https://tseaonline.org/chapters/
