Tennessee House Bill HB2097

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26
• Refer: 2/5/26
• Refer: 3/3/26
• Refer: 3/24/26
• Refer: 4/1/26
• Refer: 4/14/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 15, relative to ambulances.

Summary

HB2097 amends Tennessee’s ambulance-related provisions in Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 15. The bill changes the penalty or assessment language in Tennessee Code Annotated § 71-5-1506(a) from a flat charge of fifty dollars per calendar day for each day to a charge equal to five percent of the principal amount owed per month for each month. It also extends the sunset date in § 71-5-1509 from June 30, 2026 to June 30, 2027, thereby continuing the underlying ambulance-related program or authority for an additional year. In practical terms, the bill alters how amounts owed under the affected ambulance statute are calculated and collected, shifting from a daily fixed-dollar measure to a monthly percentage-based measure. It does not create a new program, but it does modify the financial consequences tied to existing obligations and preserves the statutory framework for another year. The change may affect ambulance providers, regulated entities, or parties subject to the chapter’s payment and enforcement provisions.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 15 by revising the method for calculating a charge or penalty from a fixed daily amount to a monthly percentage of the principal owed, and by extending the chapter’s sunset date by one year. This changes the administration of the existing ambulance-related law and prolongs its operation through June 30, 2027, affecting any entities subject to the statute’s payment obligations or enforcement mechanisms.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong, unanimous support at each committee stage, with no recorded dissenting votes. The bill advanced smoothly from the TennCare Subcommittee to the Insurance Committee and then through the Finance, Ways, and Means process, suggesting broad agreement on the need for the technical and fiscal changes. No committee transcripts were provided, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate indicating opposition.

Contention

There is little visible contention in the available record because all recorded votes were unanimous. Any potential points of concern would likely center on the shift from a flat daily charge to a monthly percentage-based charge, which could change the financial burden on affected parties, and on the one-year extension of the sunset date, which continues the underlying authority rather than allowing it to expire. However, no specific objections or opposing viewpoints are documented in the provided materials.