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

SB2192 • 2026

Pensions and Retirement Benefits

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-36-916, relative to retirement benefits.

Labor
Active

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

Sponsor
Watson, Crawford
Last action
2026-03-10
Official status
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate State and Local Government Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The exact date of implementation is November 3, 2026, not July 1, 2026 as stated in the candidate explanation.

Increasing Retirement Contributions for Tennessee Legislators

This act changes the retirement contribution rules for Tennessee legislators who have been serving for at least ten years.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the employer's contribution to a legislator's retirement plan from 5% to 10% of their salary if they have served in the legislature for at least ten years starting November 3, 2026.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Current and future members of the Tennessee General Assembly with at least ten years of service in the hybrid retirement plan as a legislator.

Terms To Know

Hybrid Retirement Plan
A type of pension system that combines elements of traditional defined benefit plans and defined contribution plans, offering both guaranteed benefits and investment options.
Creditable Service
The period during which a person is eligible to earn retirement benefits under the plan.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how this change will affect other state employees or retirees.
  • Does not provide details on how the increased contributions will be funded by the state budget.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal. in State & Local Government Committee

  2. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/8/2026

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/8/2026

  4. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  5. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  6. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  7. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  9. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate State and Local Government Committee

  10. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/10/2026

  11. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  13. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  14. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  15. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  16. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  17. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2117
By Crawford

SENATE BILL 2192
By Watson
SB2192
011936
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-
36-916, relative to retirement benefits.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-36-916(c)(1), is amended by
deleting the third sentence in the subdivision and substituting:
The amount of the employer contribution must be five percent (5%) of the respective
employee's salary; provided, that, the amount of the employer contribution for a sitting
member of the general assembly on or after November 3, 2026, who has at least ten
(10) years of creditable service in the hybrid plan as a general assembly member, is ten
percent (10%) of the general assembly member's salary.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it,
and applies to members of the general assembly in office on or after November 3, 2026.