Tennessee Senate Bill SB0058

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/25
• Chaptered: 3/31/25
• Passed: 3/31/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 71, relative to the Bureau of TennCare within the department of finance and administration.

Summary

This bill makes a narrow statutory update concerning the Bureau of TennCare within the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration. It removes the Bureau of TennCare from one list of entities in Tennessee Code Annotated § 4-29-246 and adds it to another list in § 4-29-250, which is the type of housekeeping change used to reflect whether an agency or bureau is subject to periodic review and continuation under Tennessee’s governmental entity review framework. The bill specifically references Executive Order No. 23 from October 19, 1999, tying the bureau’s placement in the statute to its original creation or recognition under that order. In practical terms, the measure does not appear to change TennCare benefits, eligibility, or program operations; rather, it updates the legal status of the bureau within the state’s administrative code structure.

Impact

The bill amends Title 4, Chapter 29 of the Tennessee Code, which governs the periodic review and continuation of state agencies and boards, and it references Title 71, which covers welfare and related programs. Its legal effect is to revise how the Bureau of TennCare is listed for purposes of state agency review and continuation, while leaving the underlying TennCare program structure intact. The affected party is the Bureau of TennCare and, indirectly, the Department of Finance and Administration.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests the bill was noncontroversial and broadly supported. The Senate Government Operations Committee recommended passage by an 8-0 vote, and there is no committee transcript indicating significant debate or opposition. The bill also passed both chambers and was signed into law, reinforcing the impression that it was viewed as a routine administrative measure rather than a policy change.

Contention

There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available materials. Because the bill appears to be a technical update to agency listings and continuation statutes, any discussion would likely have centered on administrative housekeeping rather than on TennCare policy itself. No opposing arguments, amendments, or disputed provisions are reflected in the provided record.