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HB2477 • 2026

Firefighters

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 24; Title 7, Chapter 51, Part 2; Title 38, Chapter 8 and Title 68, Chapter 140, relative to compensation for emergency responder deaths in the line of duty.

Healthcare Labor
Active

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

Sponsor
Parkinson, Taylor
Last action
2026-03-26
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide specific details on dispute resolution processes beyond the appeal periods mentioned.

Emergency Responder Compensation Act

This act changes the filing period for compensation claims and extends appeal periods after an emergency responder dies in the line of duty.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes when a claim must be filed with the finance department to three years from either the date of death or the final decision that the death was work-related, whichever is later.
  • Extends the time for appealing a denied claim from 90 days to one year for law enforcement officers.
  • Adds review processes for firefighters and volunteer rescue squad workers by a special commission within one year after denial.
  • Includes emergency medical technicians in the appeal process with a similar timeframe and authority as other responders.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Emergency responders, including firefighters, police officers, and EMTs whose estates are seeking compensation for deaths in the line of duty.

Terms To Know

Annuity
A regular payment made by a government or organization to someone who has retired or died while working.
Line of Duty
The period during which an emergency responder is performing their job duties and any related activities.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act applies retroactively from March 1, 2020, if allowed by the U.S. and Tennessee Constitutions.
  • It does not specify what happens if a claim is filed after the new deadline or how disputes are resolved.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  2. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  4. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  5. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  7. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  8. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 90, Nays 0, PNV 0

  9. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  10. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  11. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/26/2026

  13. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  14. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  15. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 33, Nays 0

  16. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/19/2026

  17. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  18. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/19/2026

  19. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  21. 2026-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  22. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  23. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026

  25. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  26. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026

  27. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  29. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  30. 2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  31. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee

  32. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  33. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  34. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  35. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  36. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  37. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  38. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law provides that the estate of any emergency responder who is killed in the line of duty is entitled to receive a $250,000 annuity, with the estate receiving an annual installment of $50,000 for five years. The claim for payment of such annuity
must be filed with the department of finance and administration within three years after the death of the decedent. This bill, instead, requires a claim for payment of the annuity to be filed with the department of finance and administration within thre
e
years after either (i) the death of the decedent or (ii) the date of a final order or other determination designating the decedent's death as being in the line of duty, whichever is later.

DENIAL OF A CLAIM

Present law provides that a denial of a claim for an annuity by an estate of a law enforcement officer is subject to review by the
Tennessee
peace officer standards and training commission within 90 days after the denial. This bill extends the time frame for review of a denial to within one year after the date of the denial.

This bill provides that a denial of a claim for an annuity by the estate of a firefighter or volunteer rescue squad worker is
subject to review by the commission on firefighting personnel standards and education within one

year of the date of the denial.
The commission on firefighting personnel standards has the authority to review the claim and issue a final order or other determination that is binding upon this state.

This bill provides that a denial of a claim for an annuity by the estate of an emergency medical technician is subject to review by the Tennessee emergency medical services board within one year after the date of the denial. The
emergency medical services board
has the authority to review the claim and issue a final order or other determination that is binding upon this state.

APPLICABILITY

This bill applies retroactively to March 1, 2020, unless prohibited by the United States Constitution or the Tennessee Constitution.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL 2212
By Taylor

HOUSE BILL 2477
By Parkinson
HB2477
010599
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4,
Chapter 24; Title 7, Chapter 51, Part 2; Title 38,
Chapter 8 and Title 68, Chapter 140, relative to
compensation for emergency responder deaths in
the line of duty.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-51-210(c), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting:
(c) A claim for payment of an annuity pursuant to this section must be filed with
the department of finance and administration no later than three (3) years after the later
of the following:
(1) The date of death of the decedent; or
(2) The date of a final order or other determination designating the
decedent's death as being in the line of duty that is issued by a court,
administrative law judge, or other state or local government official, entity, or
body with the authority to issue such order or determination.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-51-210(e), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting:
(e)
(1) A denial of a claim made under this section by the estate of a law
enforcement officer is subject to review by the Tennessee peace officer
standards and training commission within one (1) year of the date of the denial.
The commission has the authority to review the claim and issue a final order or
other determination which is binding upon this state. The commission shall

- 2 - 010599

cause copies of the final order or determination to be delivered to the claimant's
estate and the department of finance and administration.
(2) A denial of a claim made under this section by the estate of a
firefighter or volunteer rescue squad worker is subject to review by the
commission on firefighting personnel standards and education within one (1) year
of the date of the denial. The commission has the authority to review the claim
and issue a final order or other determination which is binding upon this state.
The commission shall cause copies of the final order or determination to be
delivered to the claimant's estate and the department of finance and
administration. The commissioner shall not participate in the commission's
review of a denied claim; except, that the commissioner may offer testimony
regarding the commissioner's reasons for denying the claim, if requested by the
commission.
(3) A denial of a claim made under this section by the estate of an
emergency medical technician is subject to review by the Tennessee emergency
medical services board within one (1) year of the date of the denial. The board
has the authority to review the claim and issue a final order or other
determination which is binding upon this state. The board shall cause copies of
the final order or determination to be delivered to the claimant's estate and the
department of finance and administration.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it,
and unless prohibited by the United States Constitution or Tennessee Constitution, is retroactive
to March 1, 2020.