Tennessee House Bill HB1347

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 16; Title 17; Title 18; Title 20; Title 21; Title 24; Title 29; Title 30; Title 32; Title 33; Title 34; Title 36; Title 37; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to mental health.

Summary

HB1347 is a narrow amendment to Tennessee’s mental health reporting law. The bill changes Tennessee Code Annotated § 33-6-109 by adding “the legislative librarian” to the list of recipients to whom the department must report quarterly. The bill otherwise does not create a new program, funding stream, or regulatory scheme; it simply expands the distribution list for an existing quarterly report requirement. Although the caption references multiple titles of the Tennessee Code Annotated and describes the measure as relating to mental health, the operative text is limited to this single reporting change. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law, reflecting a stated public-welfare urgency, but its practical effect is administrative rather than substantive.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee’s mental health reporting statute in Title 33 by requiring quarterly reports to be sent to the legislative librarian in addition to the existing recipients. This affects the Department responsible for the reports and the legislative librarian as an added recipient, but it does not alter eligibility for services, standards of care, enforcement powers, or benefits under mental health law. No other statutes are substantively changed by the operative language.

Sentiment

Based on the available record, the bill appears to have been noncontroversial and technical in nature. There are no committee transcripts or recorded votes showing debate, opposition, or amendments, and the text suggests a simple administrative update rather than a policy shift. The immediate effective date indicates support for prompt implementation, but there is no evidence in the provided materials of broader political disagreement.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Because the bill only adds the legislative librarian to a quarterly reporting list, any concerns would likely be limited to administrative burden, report distribution practices, or legislative access to information rather than substantive mental health policy. However, no speaker or voting record is available to show that such issues were raised.