Sen. Shane Reeves

Maddy summarySB 2557 shortens the deadline for health insurance companies to provide fee schedules to healthcare providers from 10 to 9 business days after receiving a written request. The bill requires that fee schedules be delivered free of charge, in a standard digital format (like Microsoft Excel), and can be provided as either a partial or full version as requested by the provider. This change directly affects all health insurance carriers in Tennessee and healthcare providers who need timely access to billing information for administrative and billing purposes. The bill amends multiple sections of Tennessee's health insurance code to implement this time reduction.

Maddy summarySB 1793 requires Tennessee's Department of General Services and Department of Environment and Conservation to submit annual reports on their recycling activities to the state legislature by December 31 each year. The bill amends Tennessee law (specifically Titles 4, 5, 6, 7, and 68) to establish this reporting requirement for these two state departments. It does not change recycling practices or set new environmental standards, only mandating annual transparency on existing recycling efforts. The bill is procedural and focuses solely on reporting obligations, with no new policy changes for the public or businesses.

Maddy summarySB 1786 exempts affiliate brokers and brokers licensed under Tennessee's Real Estate Broker License Act from additional licensure requirements and classroom training hours when working as designated agents for vacation lodging service firms. The bill requires that all vacation lodging services under these exemptions must be supervised by a principal broker from an affiliate broker, broker, or firm. This change modifies Tennessee Code § 62-13-104(b)(3)(B) to clarify the exemption while maintaining supervisory oversight. The bill directly affects real estate professionals operating in the vacation lodging sector within Tennessee.

Maddy summarySB 2017 modifies Tennessee's retirement system to provide disability-related retirement credit at no cost to certain public safety employees. It requires that state-level commissioned members of the Department of Safety or Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents receive this credit without paying contributions, effective July 1, 2026. Additionally, local governments (political subdivisions) can pass resolutions to extend this no-cost credit to their police officers, provided they adopt the change on or after that date. The bill does not apply to employees who already received disability credit before July 1, 2026. All credit applications must follow specific certification and contribution rules set by the state treasurer.

Maddy summarySB 879 requires Tennessee's Department of Human Services to annually identify federal waivers needed to overcome regulatory barriers affecting food assistance program processing. The department must submit waiver applications by October 31 each year and provide a December 31 report detailing these applications, their status, and recommendations for statutory changes to improve efficiency. This bill directly affects the state's food assistance program operations and the department's reporting obligations to legislative committees. It modifies Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 3, to establish these annual requirements without altering benefit eligibility or funding levels.

Maddy summarySB 2556 requires Tennessee's Department of Health to compile and submit a report by January 1, 2027, listing every medication approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for women's health, including a brief summary of each. The report must be sent to the Senate and House Speakers, providing lawmakers with a centralized overview of FDA-approved women's health medications. This bill does not change medication approval processes or healthcare access but mandates a regular legislative update on these medications. It is a procedural reporting requirement affecting only the Department of Health and the legislature.

Maddy summarySB 1797 prohibits managed care organizations (MCOs) in Tennessee from unilaterally suspending, denying, terminating, or otherwise ending contracts with qualified nursing facilities participating in the TennCare program. The bill directly affects nursing homes certified to provide Medicaid nursing care and MCOs that contract with them. Key provisions require MCOs to report concerns about facility performance to the Bureau of TennCare (not to act independently), and grant the bureau exclusive authority to determine termination - only allowing MCOs to act if the bureau has authorized termination, suspended payments for fraud, or if the facility was excluded from Medicare/Medicaid. The bill ensures nursing facilities cannot be removed from TennCare networks without bureau approval, maintaining service continuity for Medicaid beneficiaries during reviews.

Maddy summaryThis bill extends the deadline for nursing homes to pay an annual assessment fee under Tennessee's Medicaid program (TennCare) from June 30, 2026, to June 30, 2027. It directly affects licensed nursing homes receiving Medicaid reimbursement by delaying their payment obligation by one year. The bill primarily revises specific dates in Tennessee law (TCA Title 71, Chapter 5, Part 10) related to fee collection and reimbursement calculations. These changes align the fee schedule with updated fiscal year timelines without altering the underlying reimbursement methodology.

Maddy summarySB 2544 creates the "Respiratory Care Interstate Compact" to allow licensed respiratory therapists from one participating state to practice in other participating states without obtaining a new license. This directly affects respiratory therapists seeking to work across state lines, particularly military families relocating and those addressing workforce shortages in healthcare. The bill establishes standardized rules for license recognition, background checks, and disciplinary actions across member states while preserving each state's authority to protect public health. It aims to increase access to respiratory therapy services and streamline administrative processes for both therapists and states.

Maddy summarySB 1787 prevents homeowners' and condominium associations in Tennessee from banning unit owners from installing personal electric vehicle charging stations on their own property, including designated parking spots. Associations may still set reasonable rules about the charger's size, placement, and installation method but cannot block installations where the owner's parking is located. Owners must cover any liability costs from the charger (including legal fees) and maintain insurance naming the association as a beneficiary. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, applying to all new or amended association rules after that date.