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HB1816 • 2026

Mental Illness

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33; Title 38 and Title 41, relative to mental health.

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Williams, Haile
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/14/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details about what the training will cover beyond mentioning guidelines and materials.

The Isbill Act

This bill requires law enforcement officers and correctional personnel to receive annual training on criteria for admitting people with mental health issues into inpatient treatment.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the POST commission to create guidelines and materials about when to admit someone involuntarily to inpatient mental health care.
  • Requires correctional personnel to receive annual training on these guidelines and materials.
  • Requires law enforcement officers to receive annual training on these guidelines and materials.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Law enforcement officers
  • Correctional personnel

Terms To Know

POST commission
The Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission in Tennessee, which sets standards for law enforcement training.
Involuntary admission
When someone is admitted to a mental health facility without their consent because they are considered a danger to themselves or others.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what the training will cover beyond the guidelines and materials.
  • It is unclear how the effectiveness of this training will be measured.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1816

Plain English: The amendment changes how funds in the opioid abatement fund are allocated, adding new requirements for distributing money to mental health and substance abuse services.

  • Adds a requirement that $12.3 million from the opioid abatement fund be given to TennCare over three fiscal years starting in 2026-2027 to help pay for mobile crisis services for TennCare members with mental health issues.
  • Requires $25 million to be allocated to the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in fiscal year 2026-2027 to fund treatment services for uninsured individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
  • Specifies that 10% of new funds added to the opioid abatement fund after July 1, 2026, must go into a separate account within the fund for similar purposes.
  • The amendment text does not specify how these changes will be implemented or what happens if there are insufficient funds in the opioid abatement fund to meet these requirements.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2533

Plain English: The amendment changes how funds in the opioid abatement fund are allocated for mental health and substance use disorder services.

  • Allocates $12.3 million from the opioid abatement fund to TennCare over three fiscal years (2026-2029) to equalize reimbursement rates for mobile crisis services.
  • Provides $25 million in one-time funding to the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in fiscal year 2026-2027 for uninsured individuals with co-occurring disorders.
  • Requires that 10% of future funds from the opioid abatement fund be allocated annually to support crisis and residential services for uninsured individuals.
  • The amendment text does not specify how existing state appropriations will be affected beyond stating they should supplement current funding.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/14/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  5. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/1/2026

  8. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee

  9. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 0

  10. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/23/2026

  11. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c Public Service Subcommittee of State & Local Government Committee

  12. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026

  13. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  14. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  15. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  17. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  18. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  19. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  20. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  21. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  22. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  23. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2533
By Haile

HOUSE BILL 1816
By Williams
HB1816
010428
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33;
Title 38 and Title 41, relative to mental health.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as "The Isbill Act."
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38, Chapter 8, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) The Tennessee peace officer standards and training (POST) commission
shall adopt guidelines and materials instructing law enforcement officers on the criteria
for emergency and nonemergency involuntary admissions to inpatient treatment, as
described in title 33, chapter 6, parts 4 and 5.
(b) Each law enforcement officer shall undergo annual training on the adopted
guidelines and materials as described in subsection (a).
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 41, Chapter 7, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) The board shall adopt guidelines and materials instructing correctional
personnel on the criteria for emergency and nonemergency involuntary admissions to
inpatient treatment, as described in title 33, chapter 6, parts 4 and 5.
(b) Each correctional personnel shall undergo annual training on the adopted
guidelines and materials as described in subsection (a).
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2027, the public welfare requiring it.