Public Employees

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes provisions for both state and local law enforcement officers, but it is unclear if the financial impact on budgets beyond initial estimates has been fully determined.

Health Insurance Benefits for Public Safety Officers

This bill changes Tennessee law to require state and local governments to provide full health insurance coverage for the families of state and local law enforcement officers who are killed or suffer catastrophic injuries in the line of duty, starting from January 1, 2020.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the state to offer free health insurance benefits to the family members of a state law enforcement officer who is killed or suffers a catastrophic injury on or after January 1, 2020.
• Defines 'catastrophic injury' as severe disabilities that include paralysis, blindness, loss of limbs, brain/spinal cord injuries, burns, and other serious conditions.
• Requires local governments to offer free health insurance benefits to the family members of a local law enforcement officer who is killed or suffers a catastrophic injury on or after January 1, 2020, if they already provide such coverage.
• Reimburses local governments for providing these health insurance benefits.
• Limits continuation of coverage if the spouse remarries but allows children to continue coverage under certain conditions.

Who It Names or Affects

• State and local law enforcement officers who are killed or suffer catastrophic injuries in the line of duty on or after January 1, 2020.
• The families (spouses, surviving spouses, and eligible dependent children) of these officers.

Terms To Know

Catastrophic injury

A permanent impairment or disability that includes paralysis, blindness, loss of limbs, brain/spinal cord injuries, burns, and other serious conditions severe enough to qualify for social security disability insurance benefits.

State law enforcement officer

A full-time, salaried employee of the state who is a commissioned member of specific departments or agencies engaged in law enforcement activities on a day-to-day basis.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not apply to firefighters and only covers local governments that already offer health insurance benefits to their employees.
• Coverage for family members may end if the spouse remarries, but children can continue coverage under certain conditions.
• The exact financial impact on state and local budgets is uncertain beyond the initial estimates provided.

Official Summary Text

Present law authorizes the state insurance committee to offer or continue to provide health insurance benefits to the surviving spouse and children of a first responder killed in the line of duty for up to two years. As used in that provision, a "first
responder"
means paid, full-time law enforcement officers and firefighters who are employed by the state or a local government in this state.

This bill removes the authorization above and, instead, requires the state insurance committee to offer or continue to provide health insurance benefits to the spouse, surviving spouse, and eligible dependent children of a state law enforcement officer,
but not a firefighter, who is killed or suffers a catastrophic injury in the line of duty, on or after January 1, 2020. Further, the officer's employer is required to pay the entire premium of the officer's health insurance plan for the officer, and offi
ce
r's spouse, surviving spouse, and eligible dependent children. As used in this bill:



"Catastrophic injury" means a permanent impairment or disability from (i) paraplegia or permanent paralysis of both legs and the lower part of the body, (ii) legal blindness, (iii) loss of use of two or more limbs from any service-connected cause, (iv)
an acquired injury to the brain or spinal cord caused by an external physical force
,

(v) second or third-degree burns, or (vi) injuries to the skin that involve the likelihood of permanent or protracted disfigurement. The term also includes a permanent impairment or disability that is of a nature and severity that would qualify an employee to receive social security disability insurance benefits or supplemental security income.



"State law enforcement officer" means
a full-time, salaried employee of this state who is a commissioned member of the department of safety, an agent of the Tennessee bureau of investigation, a commissioned employee of the wildlife resources agency engaged in law enforcement activities on a day-to-day basis, a commissioned member of the alcoholic beverage commission who is engaged in law enforcement activities on a day-to-day basis, or a correctional officer vested with the powers of a law enforcement officer by the commissioner of correction
.

This bill requires the extension of coverage authorized by this bill to terminate if the spouse or surviving spouse is or becomes eligible for insurance coverage through a subsequent marriage. However, if the insurance coverage is terminated for the spo
use or surviving spouse, but the
spouse or surviving spouse
is unable to secure coverage for the eligible dependent children, then coverage may continue for such eligible dependent children. The state insurance committee may establish specific conditions f
or extensions of coverage in instances where preexisting conditions may apply during the transfer of coverage.

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

I
f a local government offers health insurance benefits to
paid, full-time law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians who are employed by a local government in this state
,
then present law authorizes
the local government
to
offer or continue to provide health insurance benefits to the surviving spouse and children, including any unborn child, of
such person
killed in the line of duty for a period not to exceed two

years after the
ir
death
.
If a local government offers or provi
des
such
health insurance benefits, the local government
must
notify the commissioner of finance and administration.

This state
must
reimburse a local government that provides health insurance benefits in accordance with this section in an amount equal to that portion of health insurance premiums or expenses for COBRA coverage for benefits for which the local government is responsible.

This bill removes law enforcement officers from the present law above and, instead, requires a political subdivision to offer or continue to provide health insurance benefits to the spouse, surviving spouse, and eligible dependent children of a local law
enforcement officer who is killed or suffers a catastrophic injury in the line of duty, on or after January 1, 2020, if the political subdivision offers health insurance benefits to local law enforcement officers.
Further, the
political subdivision
is req
uired to pay the entire premium of the officer's health insurance plan for the officer, and officer's spouse, surviving spouse, and eligible dependent children.
As used in this bill, a "local law enforcement officer" means
a full-time, salaried employee of a political subdivision who is a sheriff, sheriff's deputy, police officer, chief of police, or other law enforcement officer whose primary responsibility is the prevention and detection of crime and apprehension of offen
ders, or who is a correctional of
ficer with the political subdivision.

This bill requires a political subdivision that offers or provides such health insurance benefits to notify the commissioner of finance and administration. The state is required to reimburse a political subdivision for such insurance benefits in an amou
nt equal to that portion of health insurance premiums or expenses for COBRA coverage for benefits for which the political subdivision is responsible.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 2405
By Scarbrough

SENATE BILL 2181
By Stevens
SB2181
012312
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
Chapter 27, relative to health insurance for public
safety employees.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-27-210, is amended by deleting the
section and substituting instead:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Catastrophic injury" means a permanent impairment or disability:
(A) From one (1) or more of the following:
(i) Paraplegia or permanent paralysis of both legs and the
lower part of the body resulting from traumatic injury or disease to
the spinal cord or brain;
(ii) Legal blindness;
(iii) Loss or loss of use of two (2) or more limbs from any
service-connected cause;
(iv) An acquired injury to the brain or spinal cord, or both,
caused by an external physical force;
(v) Second- or third-degree burns; or
(vi) Injuries to the skin that involve the likelihood of
permanent or protracted disfigurement; or
(B) That is of a nature and severity that would qualify an
employee to receive social security disability insurance (SSDI) benefits or
supplemental security income (SSI); and

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(2) "State law enforcement officer" means a full-time, salaried employee
of this state who is a commissioned member of the department of safety, an
agent of the Tennessee bureau of investigation, a commissioned employee of
the wildlife resources agency engaged in law enforcement activities on a day-to-
day basis, a commissioned member of the alcoholic beverage commission who
is engaged in law enforcement activities on a day-to-day basis, or a correctional
officer vested with the powers of a law enforcement officer by the commissioner
of correction.
(b) The state insurance committee shall, in approving a health insurance plan
that covers state law enforcement officers, offer or continue to provide health insurance
benefits to the surviving spouse or spouse, as applicable, and eligible dependent
children, including an unborn child, of a state law enforcement officer who, on or after
January 1, 2020, is killed or suffers a catastrophic injury in the line of duty. The officer's
employer shall pay the entire premium of the officer's health insurance plan for the
officer, if injured, officer's spouse or surviving spouse, as applicable, and for each
eligible dependent child of the officer.
(c) The criteria for determination of eligibility of dependent children is the same
as the criteria established by the state insurance committee for state employees and
their families.
(d) If the spouse or surviving spouse, as applicable, is or becomes eligible for
insurance coverage through a subsequent marriage, then the extension of coverage
authorized in this section must be terminated on the first day of the following month. The
state insurance committee may establish specific conditions for extensions in instances
where preexisting conditions may apply during the transfer of coverage.

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(e) If insurance coverage under the state plan is terminated for the spouse or
surviving spouse, as applicable, pursuant to subsection (d), but the spouse or surviving
spouse is unable to secure through the new coverage insurance coverage for the eligible
dependent children, the eligible dependent children may continue coverage under this
section; provided, that the eligible dependent children continue to meet all dependent
eligibility requirements.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-27-404(a)(2), is amended by
deleting "law enforcement officers, firefighters," and substituting instead "firefighters".
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 27, Part 4, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Catastrophic injury" has the same meaning as defined in § 8-27-210;
and
(2) "Local law enforcement officer" means a full-time, salaried employee
of a political subdivision who is a sheriff, sheriff's deputy, police officer, chief of
police, or other law enforcement officer whose primary responsibility is the
prevention and detection of crime and apprehension of offenders, or who is a
correctional officer with the political subdivision.
(b) If a political subdivision offers health insurance benefits to local law
enforcement officers, then the political subdivision shall offer or continue to provide
health insurance benefits to the spouse or surviving spouse, as applicable, and eligible
dependent children, including an unborn child, of a local law enforcement officer who, on
or after January 1, 2020, is killed or suffers a catastrophic injury in the line of duty. The
political subdivision shall pay the entire premium of the officer's health insurance plan for

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the officer, if injured, officer's spouse or surviving spouse, as applicable, and for each
eligible dependent child of the officer.
(c) A political subdivision that offers or provides health insurance benefits in
accordance with subsection (b) shall notify the commissioner of finance and
administration.
(d) This state shall reimburse a political subdivision that provides health
insurance benefits in accordance with this section in an amount equal to that portion of
health insurance premiums or expenses for COBRA coverage for benefits for which the
political subdivision is responsible.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.