Tennessee Senate Bill SB0079

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/25
• Chaptered: 3/24/25
• Passed: 3/24/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 68, Chapter 1, Part 8, relative to the perinatal advisory committee.

Summary

This bill makes a narrow administrative change to Tennessee law concerning the perinatal advisory committee. It removes the committee from the list of state entities scheduled for automatic repeal under Tennessee’s sunset law and adds it to the list of entities that are expressly continued in existence. The bill does not create a new committee or change the committee’s core duties; instead, it preserves the committee’s legal status and allows it to continue operating. The measure amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 4, Chapter 29, which governs the termination and continuation of state boards and commissions, and references the perinatal advisory committee created under Title 68, Chapter 1, Part 8. By moving the committee into the continuation section, the bill ensures the committee remains active beyond the sunset date that would otherwise apply. The bill took effect immediately upon becoming law.

Impact

The bill affects Tennessee’s sunset-review statutes by deleting the perinatal advisory committee from the list of entities subject to termination and adding it to the list of committees that are continued. In practical terms, this preserves the committee’s authority and existence under state law, preventing it from expiring automatically. The main parties affected are the committee itself, the state agencies and stakeholders that rely on its recommendations, and the broader maternal and infant health policy framework in Tennessee.

Sentiment

The available legislative history suggests the bill was noncontroversial and received favorable treatment. In the Senate Government Operations Committee, it was recommended for passage with a 6-0 vote, indicating unanimous support among those voting. No committee transcript objections or substantive debate were provided, and the bill ultimately passed and was signed into law.

Contention

There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. Because the bill is a continuation measure rather than a policy overhaul, any discussion likely centered on whether the perinatal advisory committee should remain in place under the state’s sunset provisions. The absence of recorded opposition suggests that lawmakers generally agreed the committee should continue, likely due to its role in advising on perinatal, maternal, and infant health issues.