Tennessee Senate Bill SB2167

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/2/26
• Engrossed: 3/2/26
• Enrolled: 4/1/26
• Passed: 4/14/26
• Chaptered: 5/5/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 52, Chapter 5, Part 6 and Title 71, Chapter 5, relative to statewide planning and policy council.

Summary

SB2167 revises Tennessee’s statewide planning and policy council provisions to formally include the Bureau of TennCare in the council’s advisory structure. The bill changes the council’s charge so it advises both the Department of Health and TennCare, and it adds the director of long-term care services for TennCare, or that person’s designee, as a council member. It also requires the TennCare director to appoint one representative from each of TennCare’s contracted managed care organizations to serve on the council. The bill further updates the council’s duties so it advises the commissioner and the director of TennCare on appropriations tied to implementation of TennCare waivers as well as department programs. It also revises language governing how recommendations are made, making clear that both the department and TennCare are involved in the process. The act takes effect upon becoming law.

Impact

SB2167 amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 52, Chapter 5, Part 6 and Title 71, Chapter 5 to expand the statewide planning and policy council’s statutory relationship with TennCare. The practical effect is to integrate TennCare leadership and managed care organization representation into a council that previously focused more narrowly on the Department of Health, thereby affecting how long-term care and waiver-related policy recommendations are developed and communicated. The bill does not create a new program, but it changes the membership and advisory responsibilities of an existing council and may influence future appropriations and policy planning for TennCare waivers and related health programs.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have been received positively and passed with unanimous support at each recorded stage. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee recommended passage 8-0, the Senate floor passed the amended bill 32-0, and final passage was 92-0. The lack of recorded opposition suggests broad agreement with the administrative and coordination changes made by the bill.

Contention

There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record, and no committee transcript excerpts were provided. Any potential issue would likely center on the expanded role of TennCare and its managed care organizations in a council that previously advised primarily the Department of Health, including whether that broader representation changes the balance of influence over long-term care and waiver policy. However, the unanimous votes indicate that any such concerns did not generate visible opposition in committee or on the floor.