Senate Passes Health Care Liability Fix

This week, the Senate passed SB2253/HB2001, a measure addressing health care liability concerns. Introduced in response to the Crotty v. Flora decision by the Tennessee Supreme Court, this legislation seeks to clarify and reaffirm the legislative intent regarding health care liability damages.

Before the Crotty decision in September 2023, plaintiffs could only recover costs of medical expenses within the amount covered by the patient's insurance company. However, the decision altered this practice, potentially leading to inflated payouts and increased medical malpractice insurance costs. The bill's passage in the Senate represents a step toward rectifying this issue and ensuring fair compensation without burdening patients and businesses with escalating medical procedure costs.

Next in the legislative process, the bill heads to the full House for consideration on Tuesday, April 16.

Update on School Voucher Plan

As the Tennessee legislature enters its final weeks, Governor Lee's initiative to establish a statewide school voucher system is encountering challenges. Republican lawmakers are working to reconcile differing proposals and resolve disagreements, particularly regarding student testing requirements. The bill, which initially gained momentum, has stalled in finance committees for three weeks.

Efforts to pass the legislation are complicated by the tight legislative timeline, with the session set to conclude by April 26. Senate Education Committee Chairman Jon Lundberg and House K-12 Subcommittee Chairman Kirk Haston have been engaged in negotiations to address key issues in efforts to move the legislation forward.

While some Republican lawmakers have expressed doubts about the bill's viability, Governor Lee and GOP leadership remain optimistic about its prospects. However, concerns persist over certain provisions, including the need for state-approved testing for voucher recipients, which the Senate favors but the House does not.

Negotiations continue between the House and Senate, with input from education stakeholders such as the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE). The proposed legislation, known as the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, aims to allocate taxpayer funding to K-12 students for private school tuition. However, Democrats oppose school vouchers, emphasizing support for public school provisions in the House bill.

Further discussions are planned over the weekend, with the bill scheduled for review by finance committees next week, signaling its potential fate.

You can track the legislation on the General Assembly’s website.

Tennessee Senate passes bill allowing teachers to carry guns amid vocal protests

In a contentious session, Tennessee Senate Republicans recently approved legislation permitting public K-12 teachers and staff to carry concealed handguns on school premises. This decision, passed in a 26-5 vote, sparked intense protests from Covenant School families and advocates pushing for stricter gun-control measures. Approximately 200 demonstrators voiced their opposition in the Senate gallery, leading to disruptions and a call from Lt. Gov. Randy McNally for state troopers to clear the area.

For more information, you can read the full article here.

Deadline Extensions and Sales Tax Refunds Available to December Storm Victims

Tax relief measures are being implemented for businesses and homeowners affected by severe weather in Tennessee on December 9, 2023. The Department of Revenue has extended the franchise and excise tax filing and payment deadlines to June 17, 2024, for impacted businesses in designated disaster areas. This extension applies automatically to businesses in currently identified areas, with further extensions for newly designated disaster areas.

PRESS RELEASE

Tennessee Opioid Abatement Council: 2024 Community Grant Updates

FIn the first round of Community Grants for the 2024 cycle, the Opioid Abatement Council received an overwhelming response with 396 applications from across the state.

On Monday, March 18, 2024, the Council convened to review and approve the grant applications for this cycle. The list of approved applications is now available for viewing via the link provided below.

2024 Approved Community Grant Applications

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What's New On The Hill 4/12/2024