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SB0842 • 2026

Tort Liability and Reform

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 12; Title 12, Chapter 3 and Title 29, relative to insurance.

Active

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

Sponsor
Walley, Littleton
Last action
2025-04-29
Official status
Effective date(s) 04/24/2025
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the types of insurance that can be purchased or how many organizations will qualify to approve these plans, leaving some uncertainty in those areas.

Tort Liability Insurance Reform

This bill changes Tennessee's rules for governmental entities to purchase insurance without needing public bidding if approved by an organization of cities, counties, or other governmental entities.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the requirement for governmental entities in Tennessee to allow them to purchase insurance from organizations that include cities, counties, or other types of governmental groups.
  • Allows more flexibility for governmental entities to buy insurance without public bidding if it's through a plan approved by an appropriate organization.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Governmental entities in Tennessee, such as cities and counties.
  • Insurance organizations that work with these governmental entities.

Terms To Know

Tort Liability
Legal responsibility for causing harm to someone else through negligence or other wrongful acts.
Public Bidding
A process where a government entity must invite bids from multiple companies before making a purchase decision.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the exact types of insurance that can be purchased under this new rule.
  • It is unclear how many organizations will qualify to approve these insurance plans for governmental entities.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/24/2025

  2. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 260

  3. 2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 260

  4. 2025-04-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 1

  10. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  11. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  13. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  14. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 31, Nays 0

  15. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 4/14/2025

  16. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/10/2025

  18. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/10/2025

  19. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  20. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  23. 2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 4/1/2025

  25. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  26. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 4/1/2025

  28. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/26/2025

  31. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/25/2025

  32. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/19/2025

  33. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  34. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/18/2025

  35. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/18/2025

  36. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 3/12/2025

  37. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee to 3/12/2025

  38. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/11/2025

  39. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/11/2025

  40. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Cities & Counties Subcommittee for 3/5/2025

  41. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/4/2025

  42. 2025-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Cities & Counties Subcommittee

  43. 2025-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  44. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  45. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  46. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  47. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  48. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  49. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  50. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  51. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law authorizes a
governmental entity
to
purchase
ins
urance

to cover its tort liability
without the necessity of public bidding

if
it
is purchased through a plan authorized and approved by an organization of governmental entities representing cities and counties.
This bill revises this provision to, instead
, require authorization and approval by an
organization of cities, counties, or other governmental entities
.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 763
By Bricken

SENATE BILL 842
By Walley

SB0842
002623
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 12;
Title 12, Chapter 3 and Title 29, relative to
insurance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 29-20-407, is amended by deleting
"governmental entities representing cities and counties" and substituting "cities, counties, or
other governmental entities as contemplated by this part".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.