Legislative Outcomes 2023
2023 Legislative Outcomes
Please keep in mind this is year 1 of the 2 year session!
WINS
SB 979/HB 944 | Financial Abuse | Senator Gardenhire & Representative Alexander | WFGC | Defines Financial Abuse and attributes that definition to domestic abuse and abuse against those who are considered “vulnerable adults.” (Written and lobbied for by the WFGC as our proactive legislation.) Chaptered.
Special thanks to the following Co-Sponsors, Underlined Co-Sponsors signify our Hamilton County Delegation:
Senate: Campbell, Yarbro, Briggs, Jackson, Massey, Rose, Walley, Watson
House: Hardaway, Crawford, Helton-Haynes, Littleton, Davis, Vital, Hakeem
SB 1458/HB 983 | Maternity Leave for Local Education Agencies | Senator White & Rep/Spkr Sexton | A Better Balance | Expands leave for adoption or birth for education employees. Passed. To Become Law.
SB 276/ HB 324| Paid Family Leave | Senator Lamberth & Rep Johnson | A Better Balance | Expands leave options for adoption or birth for state employees. Chaptered.
SB 745/HB 883 | Medical Procedures for Pregnant Women | Senator Briggs and Representative Helton-Haynes"| Replaces the affirmative defense of “proving an abortion was necessary to prevent the death of the pregnant woman or to prevent serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function of the pregnant woman”'; and instead provides that it is not an offense for a physician to perform an abortion under circumstances that are substantially similar to those required to establish the affirmative defense under present law. Chaptered.
A note about the following legislation:
*SB 187 | Maternal and Infant Mortality Prevention Act | Senator Lamar | Would create a doula services advisory committee to promote core competencies and standards for doula services.
*This bill was substituted by SB 394/HB738 | Senator Lamar & Representative Love | Creates the Doula Advisory Committee, which will advise on training requirements for doulas to be TennCare providers and on equitable reimbursement rates. Chaptered.
SB 1205/ HB 686| Victim Confidentiality | Senator Campbell & Senator Freeman | Senator Campbell & Representative Freeman | Prohibits an advocate from disclosing any communication received from a victim, or the location of their shelter, unless the victim waives this right by written consent. Chaptered.
SB 419/HB 557 | Increase Age for Forensic Youth Interviews | Senator Haile & Representative Littleton | Children’s Advocacy Centers| Increases the age for the admissibility of statements during a forensic interview from 13 to 17 and would allow statements describing abusive or violent contact with or on the child, instead of just sexual contact. Chaptered.
SB 346/ HB 933 | Highschool Heads-up for Voter Eligibility | Senator Campbell & Representative McKenzie | This bill was promoted by high schoolers!| Requires each high school to inform each high school senior that upon reaching the age of 18 the student may be eligible to vote and provide information from the secretary of state about voter eligibility and how to register to vote. Passed. To Become Law.
We are glad the following bills did not progress as we are opposed to them:
SB 603/HB 571 | Mandating Cultural Incompetence in Medical Education and Practice | Senator Hensley & Representative Carringer | Would, among other things, prohibit medical education institutions from requiring diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training and education for purposes of the issuance of a degree. Taken off notice for cal in s/c Higher Education Subcommittee of Education Administration.
SB 1222/HB 267 | State Mandated Mental Health Barriers to Economic Success | Senator White & Senator Terry | Would require a child seeking to expunge their record to undergo a favorable mental health evaluation. Held in committee (some sponsors withdrew!)
TO BE CONTINUED - For one or more reasons, these bills didn’t run this year, but we anticipate their continued efforts next session.
SB 227/HB 442 | Paid Family Leave for State Employees | Senator Yarbro & Representative Shaw | A Better Balance | Would expand paid leave for State employees. Taken off notice for cal in s/c Public Service Subcommittee of State Government Committee.
SB 16/HB 547 | Paid Family Medical Leave for State Employees | Senator Lamar & Representative Harris | A Better Balance Would expand paid medical leave of State employees. Failed in Senate State and Local Government Committee.
SB 885 / HB 1084| Decriminalizing Contraceptive Care| Senator Akbari & Representative Chism | Would clarify use of contraceptive care is not considered a crime. Failed in Senate Judiciary Committee.
SB 177/HB 567| Maternal Health TennCare Telehealth Pilot | Senator Massey & Representative Carringer | Would direct Tenncare to create and implement a three-year pilot program to provide remote maternal health services to eligible Tenncare recipients. Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee.
SB 983/ HB 778 | Authorizing Lifesaving Medical Procedures for Pregnant Women | Senator Yager & Representative Helton - Haynes Limits the offense of criminal abortion to only apply to elective abortions. Taken off notice for cal in s/c Population Health Subcommittee of Health Committee.
SB 719/HB 1140 | Human Trafficking Victim Confidentiality | Senator Lamar & Representative Miller Would specify that a communication between a human trafficking victim advocate or trained volunteer and a human trafficking victim is confidential if it is not intended to be disclosed to a third party. Held in committee.
SB 875/ HB 546 Removing Barriers From Fines and Fees | Senator Akbari & Representative Harris | Would suspend payment of criminally assessed fines and fees within the first 180 days of someone reentering society. Taken off notice for cal in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee of Criminal Justice Committee.
A Special Note:
**SB 128/HB 576 | Doula Pilot for High Risk Pregnancy TennCare recipients | Senator Lamar & Representative Hemmer Would require Tenncare to establish a pilot program to provide payment for doula care services for high-risk pregnant women enrolled in TennCare. This bill did not pass. However, Governor Lee set aside $1,000,000 (non-recurring) for implementing a doula pilot program in the 2023-2024 Revised Budget.
This year was very full. With the historic events transpiring from the Covenant School shooting through to the reinstatement of two Representatives of the Tennessee House, we are very fortunate to have written passed a proactive piece of legislation and to have a successful list of wins. Thank you for your advocacy.
A note: The Governor’s Special Session on Public Safety will occur in August of 2023.
Questions or comments can be directed to Joanna Theolene, Manager of Policy and Advocacy, Advocacy@chattanoogawomensfund.org