KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Tennessee

SB0511 • 2026

Insurance, Liability

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 9 and Title 56, relative to insurance.

Education Labor
Active

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

Sponsor
Walley, Alexander
Last action
2025-02-12
Official status
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary text is marked as NOT SIGNIFICANT, which may indicate that there are no significant changes or details provided.

Insurance Changes for State and Employees

This bill requires the board of claims to review and approve insurance policies recommended by the division of claims that cover liability claims against the state or its employees.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the board of claims to review, consider, and approve insurance policies recommended by the division of claims for paying liability claims against the state or its employees.
  • Defines 'state agency' for these insurance policies to include all parts of state government like boards, commissions, departments, offices, institutions of higher education, and other units.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The board of claims
  • State agencies and their employees
  • People who file liability claims against the state or its employees

Terms To Know

state agency
Each part of Tennessee's government, including boards, commissions, departments, offices, institutions of higher education, and other units.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the insurance policies will be purchased or coordinated between different state agencies.
  • It is unclear what happens if the board of claims does not approve an insurance policy recommended by the division of claims.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

  2. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  3. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  4. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  5. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  6. 2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  7. 2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 605
By Alexander

SENATE BILL 511
By Walley

SB0511
001843
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8;
Title 9 and Title 56, relative to insurance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 9-8-108(a)(4), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(4) Shall review, consider, and approve, as necessary, insurance policies
recommended by the division of claims that are designed to pay claims filed against the
state or its employees arising from contract or tort. This responsibility includes, but is
not limited to, the authority to facilitate the purchase of insurance for a state agency and
coordinate the purchase of insurance between and among various state agencies. For
the purposes of this subdivision (a)(4), the term "state agency" means each state board,
commission, committee, department, office, institution of higher education, or another
unit of state government.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.