Tennessee House Bill HB0112

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/13/25
• Refer: 1/16/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-30-102 and Title 8, Chapter 50, Part 1, relative to state employees.

Summary

HB0112 expands the list of state entities and personnel covered by certain state employee leave provisions. It adds the Tennessee sports wagering council and its employees, full-time board members of the board of parole, and full-time board members of the inmate disciplinary oversight board to the groups referenced in Tennessee Code Annotated § 8-30-102. The bill also creates a specific bereavement leave rule for employees of the listed agencies, boards, and departments of state government. Under the new bereavement leave provision, eligible officers and employees would receive paid leave without having to use accumulated leave balances: three days for the death of a sibling, grandparent, grandchild, foster parent, or parent-in-law; five days for the death of a parent or stepparent; and ten days for the death of a spouse, child, or stepchild. The measure takes effect immediately upon becoming law.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee’s state employee classification and leave statutes, specifically Tennessee Code Annotated § 8-30-102 and § 8-50-113. Its practical effect is to extend statutory bereavement leave benefits to additional state boards and employees and to require that the leave be granted as paid leave without charging the employee’s accrued leave accounts. It affects state agencies, boards, and departments covered by the referenced code sections, as well as the newly added sports wagering council, parole board members, and inmate disciplinary oversight board members.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, opposition, or support in the available record. Based on the text alone, the bill appears administrative and employee-focused, with a generally favorable policy posture toward providing paid bereavement leave for certain state workers. The immediate effective date suggests the sponsor viewed the measure as a straightforward personnel benefit rather than a controversial policy change.

Contention

The bill’s main policy choice is which state employees and officials receive the expanded bereavement leave treatment. It specifically includes the Tennessee sports wagering council and certain board members, which could raise questions about why those groups are singled out and whether other state employees should receive the same treatment. Another possible point of discussion is the cost and administrative impact of mandating paid leave without use of accrued balances, though no recorded objections or amendments are available in the provided materials.