Tennessee House Bill HB0802

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25
• Refer: 2/6/25
• Refer: 3/5/25
• Refer: 3/12/25
• Refer: 4/17/25
• Chaptered: 5/15/25
• Passed: 5/15/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 42 and Title 9, Chapter 8, relative to state employees.

Summary

HB0802 amends Tennessee’s definitions related to “state employee” in Title 8 and related claims provisions in Title 9. The bill expands the term, solely for purposes of the state employee chapter and specified claims statutes, to include the board of supervisors and other officers, employees, and agents of a soil and water conservation district, as well as persons designated by a soil and water conservation district to participate in authorized volunteer programs. In practical terms, the measure brings these district personnel and certain volunteers within the scope of state-employee-related protections and procedures under the referenced statutes. That can affect how claims, liability, and related employment protections are handled for soil and water conservation districts and the individuals working for or volunteering through them.

Impact

The bill changes Tennessee Code Annotated § 8-42-101 by adding a new category of individuals treated as “state employees” for limited purposes, and it ties that definition to §§ 9-8-112 and 9-8-307. This likely affects coverage under state claims and liability provisions, potentially extending state-employee status for workers’ compensation or related administrative and tort-claims processes to soil and water conservation district personnel and designated volunteers. It does not appear to broadly redefine state employment across all of Tennessee law, only for the chapters and sections specifically identified.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong, unanimous support at each committee stage, with no recorded opposition in the House subcommittee, House State & Local Government Committee, House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee, or House Finance, Ways, and Means Committee. The bill’s progression suggests it was viewed as a narrow, technical measure with limited controversy and broad agreement among lawmakers.

Contention

No committee transcript is available, and the recorded votes show no nays, so there is no documented substantive opposition in the provided materials. Any potential concern would likely center on whether extending state-employee status to soil and water conservation district personnel and volunteers could increase state liability exposure or administrative costs, but the legislative record provided does not show that as an active point of dispute.