Tennessee Senate Bill SB0083

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/9/25
• Engrossed: 2/20/25
• Enrolled: 2/20/25
• Passed: 3/10/25
• Chaptered: 3/21/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29 and Title 33, Chapter 1, relative to the statewide planning and policy council for the department of mental health and substance abuse services.

Summary

SB0083 makes a narrow statutory update to Tennessee law governing state boards and commissions. The bill removes the statewide planning and policy council for the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services 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 section used for certain continuing state entities. The council itself is created under § 33-1-401, and the bill does not change the council’s substantive duties, membership, or policy authority. In practical terms, the measure appears to be a housekeeping or administrative bill that aligns the council’s statutory placement with the state’s board-and-commission framework. It takes effect immediately upon becoming law, reflecting the legislature’s view that the change is needed without delay.

Impact

The bill amends Title 4 and Title 33 of the Tennessee Code by deleting the council from one statutory subdivision and inserting it into another, thereby updating how the statewide planning and policy council for mental health and substance abuse services is categorized under state law. It affects the legal status of the council within Tennessee’s framework for state entities, but it does not create new programs, expand services, or alter the council’s core responsibilities toward mental health and substance abuse policy.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows strong support and no recorded opposition: the Senate Government Operations Committee recommended passage on a 9-0 vote. The bill’s text and procedural posture suggest it was treated as a routine, noncontroversial administrative measure rather than a policy dispute. No committee transcript was provided, so there is no evidence of substantive debate in the materials supplied.

Contention

There is little visible contention in the record provided. The only identifiable issue is the technical reclassification of the statewide planning and policy council within Tennessee’s statutory list of entities, which may matter to those tracking board governance or sunset/continuation provisions. However, no opposing arguments, amendments, or stakeholder concerns are reflected in the available vote or transcript materials.