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HB0977 • 2026

Pensions and Retirement Benefits

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 34; Title 8, Chapter 35 and Title 8, Chapter 36, relative to retirement.

Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Burkhart, Powers
Last action
2025-05-13
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 383
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Tennessee Retirement Bridge Benefit Act

This act allows political subdivisions to provide additional retirement benefits for certain employees who are required to retire at specific ages after July 1, 2025.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows political subdivisions to adopt a supplemental bridge benefit for members retiring between the ages of 55 and 62 after July 1, 2025.
  • Specifies that members retiring between 55 and 60 will receive this benefit for up to seven years from their retirement date.
  • Members retiring between 60 and 62 will get the benefit until they turn 67.
  • Requires political subdivisions to make any changes to existing bridge benefits permanent.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Employees in positions with mandatory retirement provisions who are covered by this act.
  • Political subdivisions that adopt these supplemental bridge benefits for their employees.

Terms To Know

Supplemental Bridge Benefit
An additional benefit provided to retirees between the ages of 55 and 62, designed to help them transition into full retirement.
Political Subdivision
A local government entity such as a city or county that can adopt laws within its jurisdiction.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The act does not specify the exact amount of the supplemental bridge benefit.
  • It is unclear how many political subdivisions will choose to implement this new benefit.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0977

Plain English: This amendment allows political subdivisions in Tennessee to offer a supplemental retirement benefit called a 'bridge benefit' for certain retirees starting July 1, 2025.

  • Political subdivisions can provide a bridge benefit to members retiring between ages 55 and 62 who are covered by mandatory retirement provisions.
  • The bridge benefit duration varies based on the retiree's age at retirement: up to seven years for those retiring between 55 and 60, or until age 67 for those retiring after 60 but before 62.
  • Political subdivisions can adopt this new bridge benefit through a resolution passed by their chief governing body.
  • The amendment text does not specify the exact amount of the supplemental bridge benefit or how it will be funded.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0953

Plain English: The amendment allows political subdivisions in Tennessee to offer a supplemental retirement benefit called a 'bridge benefit' for certain retirees starting July 1, 2025.

  • Political subdivisions can provide a bridge benefit to members retiring between ages 55 and 62 who are covered by mandatory retirement provisions.
  • The bridge benefit duration varies based on the retiree's age at retirement: up to seven years for those retiring between 55 and 60, or until age 67 for those retiring after 60 but before 62.
  • Political subdivisions can adopt this new bridge benefit through a resolution passed by their chief governing body.
  • The amendment does not specify the exact amount of the supplemental bridge benefit, only that it is part of the retiree's retirement allowance.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 383

  2. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 05/05/2025

  3. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 383

  4. 2025-05-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  10. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  11. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 91, Nays 0, PNV 0

  12. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0389)

  13. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  14. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/16/2025

  15. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/15/2025

  16. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  17. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  18. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2025

  19. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  20. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  21. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 0

  22. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0222)

  23. 2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/14/2025

  24. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  25. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  26. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  27. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  28. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/9/2025

  29. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/9/2025

  30. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/8/2025

  31. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/2/2025

  32. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/2/2025

  33. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0

  34. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/26/2025

  35. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  36. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2025

  37. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  38. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  39. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  40. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  41. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  42. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  43. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  44. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  45. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 14
, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 953, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, make the following revisions to present law:



Authorizes, a
fter July 1, 2025, a political subdivision
to
adopt a supplemental bridge benefit for members who are in positions covered by mandatory retirement provisions. This supplemental bridge benefit
must
apply to those members retiring on or after the effective date of the resolution adopted by the political subdivision's chief governing body, and who have reached 55, but less than 62. The supplemental bridge benefit and any cost-of-living adjustments attributable to that benefit must commence on the member's effective date of retirement or on the first day of the month following the month the member reaches 55, whichever is later. Members retiring between 55 and 60
must
be paid the supplemental bridge benefit for a period not to exceed seve
n
years after the member's effective date of retirement. Members retiring after reaching 60, but no later than 62
must
be paid the supplemental bridge benefit until the member reaches 67. The supplemental bridge benefit and any cost-of-living adjustments attributable to the benefit must cease on the first day of the month following the month in which the member dies, or on the first day of the month following the last month of the supplemental bridge benefit payments, whichever occurs first.



Authorizes
political subdivisions that have previously adopted a supplemental bridge benefit prior to July 1, 2025,
to
adopt, through a resolution passed by the political subdivision's chief governing body, the supplemental bridge benefit
described above
. The political subdivision's change to the supplemental bridge benefit
must
be irrevocable, and the political subdivision
must
not be permitted to elect the previously adopted supplemental bridge benefit at a later date.



Provides that the
supplemental bridge benefit is considered a part of the retiree's retirement allowance for purposes of
present law

provisions relative to reemployment after retirement
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 953
By Powers

HOUSE BILL 977
By Burkhart

HB0977
002994
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
Chapter 34; Title 8, Chapter 35 and Title 8,
Chapter 36, relative to retirement.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-36-823, is amended by deleting the
language "annually" and substituting instead the language "annually, or at such other intervals
as may be set by the board,".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.