Employees, Employers - As enacted, allows for eligible employees to be absent four weeks from work following a living organ donation surgery; requires the department of health to create living organ donor informational material and make such material available on the department's website. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 50; Title 56 and Title 68.
SB 579 would provide eligible Tennessee workers 12 weeks of job-protected leave for recovery after living organ donation surgery, with leave counted toward employment seniority. It prohibits insurers from denying coverage or charging more for life, disability, or long-term care insurance solely because someone is a living organ donor. The bill also requires the Tennessee Department of Health to create and post public educational materials about living organ donation by July 2025, covering benefits, risks, and insurance impacts. This bill directly affects living organ donors, employers, and insurance providers in Tennessee.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
House Passage
Apr 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Feb 10, 2025
Signed Apr 23, 2026
Floor votes
How they voted
This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
32
Key actions
14
Committee
9
Amendments
2
Apr 23, 2026
Signed into law
Signed by Governor.
lower
Apr 14, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by H. Speaker
lower
Apr 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by Senate Speaker
upper
Apr 8, 2026
Amended
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0607)
lower
Apr 8, 2026
Amended
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 2 - HA0608)
lower
Apr 8, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed H., Ayes 90, Nays 0, PNV 5
lower
Mar 19, 2026
Lower · Passed
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0655)
lower
Mar 19, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0
upper
Mar 10, 2026
Upper · Passed
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
upper
Mar 4, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/10/2026
lower
Mar 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
Action deferred in Senate Commerce and Labor Committee to 3/10/2026
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/3/2026
lower
Mar 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/25/2025
lower
Mar 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
Action deferred in Senate Commerce and Labor Committee to 3/25/2025
lower
Mar 13, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/18/2025
lower
Mar 11, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/18/2025
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Committee
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee
upper
Feb 10, 2025
Introduced
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Raumesh Akbari
DDemocratic
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