There was more positive news from the hill this week as some of the bills in our legislative agenda moved through important committees.
HB1114, the Childcare authorization bill, passed the House Finance subcommittee and is scheduled to be heard by the Full House Finance committee on Tuesday, April 6. Rep. Leatherwood has expertly navigated this bill now through four committee votes! We appreciate his work on this legislation. As a reminder, this bill already passed the Senate unanimously on March 8.
HB1540, the Pension Transfer bill, was unanimously approved by the House Full State committee and is scheduled to be heard by the House Finance subcommittee on Wednesday, April 7. We appreciate Rep. Weaver’s work on this bill. The Senate has not yet scheduled this bill.
Monday night the House passed HB1016, the 401(k) match bill. We now await the Senate State Government Committee’s approval in the next couple of weeks. The bill is currently scheduled before the committee on Tuesday, April 6.
We continue to work with the Department of Human Resources to find an administrative resolution to the Burden of Proof issue. Initial talks are promising, and we hope to have an agreement soon. Please continue to monitor our updates for additional developments on this critical issue.
HB1205, the bill we are working on with House Majority Leader William Lamberth, which would increase the 401(k) match by $25 a month, passed the Full House State Government committee. The House Finance Subcommittee has the bill on their schedule for Wednesday, April 7. Senate sponsor Paul Bailey also successfully moved the companion bill (SB1601) out of the Senate State and Local committee. We expect the Senate Finance committee to schedule the bill soon.
TSEA is watching the following Bills:
State Employees
SB1183 | HB1578
Sponsors: Sen. Jackson,Rep. Moon
Summary: Provides 36 hours of yearly leave for a state employee who is a veteran with a service-connected disability of 30 percent or more to be used to attend appointments related to the service-connected disability
Salaries and Benefits
SB1542 | HB1404
Sponsors: Sen. Jackson,Rep. Moon
Summary: Creates a program for paid family medical leave for state employees
Bill Status for TSEA Legislative Agenda Bills:
Burden of Proof
SB0361 | HB0954
Sponsors: Sen. Hensley, Rep. Littleton
Cosponsors: Sen. Yager
Summary: Requires a state agency in a proceeding to suspend, terminate, or discipline an employee in state service to prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the employee violated state law or a rule or policy of the agency prior to taking such action
Senate Status: 3-23-2021 – Failed in Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
House Status: 3-31-2021 – Returned to the Clerk’s Desk
Match on 401(k)
SB0516 | HB1016
Sponsor: Sen. Briggs, Rep. Hicks
Summary: Increases from $40 to $50 the minimum amount that the state will match to an employee’s optional retirement plan
Senate Status: 3-30-2021 – Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 4-6-2021
House Status: 4-1-2021 – Received from House, Passed on First Consideration
Child care authorization
SB0022 | HB1114
Sponsor: Sen. Kyle, Rep. Leatherwood
Cosponsor: Sen. Gardenhire, Rep. Cooper
Summary: Requires the Department of Human Services to approve, administer, and coordinate child care services for the children of state officers and employees
Senate Status: 3-11-2021 – Received from Senate, held on House desk.
House Status: 3-31-2021 – Placed on calendar Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4-6-2021
Pension Transfer
SB1520 | HB1540
Sponsor: Sen. Roberts, Rep. Weaver
Summary: Allows any member of the Tennessee consolidated retirement system to obtain creditable service for prior service while a participating member of a city, metropolitan government, or county retirement system.
Senate Status: 2-22-2021 – Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
House Status: 3-31-2021 – Placed on subcommittee calendar Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4-7-2021
Restore Longevity for all
SB0402 | HB0414
Sponsor: Sen. Jackson, Rep. Sparks
Summary: Restores longevity pay for employees of the executive branch in the service of the state hired after June 30, 2015.
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
