Welfare - As enacted, makes various changes to law relative to respite care services, including, but not limited to, increasing the number of hours an adult may attend a limited respite care services program from 12 to 1, the official text

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                             PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 788

                                                   SENATE BILL N0.1581

                                                       By Haile, Powers

                                            Substituted for: House Bill No. 1495

                                 By Slater, Kumar, Littleton, Wright, Crawford, Reedy

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 71, Chapter 2, relative to adult day services.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 71-2-402(c)(2), is amended by deleting
the subdivision and substituting:

                    (2) As used in this subsection (c), "limited respite care services program" means a
          program with a sole purpose to provide primary caregivers of appropriate adults with relief
          from normal caregiving duties and responsibilities and:

                              (A) Is operated by a religious institution or religious organization that provides
                    custodial care for aging adults and adults with limitations on activities of daily living:

                                        (i) Who can function in a group setting;

                                        (ii) Who can feed ·and perform toilet functions without the assistance of
                              a personal aide accompanying them; and

                                        (iii) Who attend no more than three (3) days each calendar week, no
                              more than sixteen (16) hours in any one (1) week, and no more than six (6)
                              hours in any one (1) day;

                              (8) Is registered with the department pursuant to rules promulgated by the
                    commissioner for purposes of this subsection (c);

                              (C) Maintains records that include, at a minimum, dates and times of each
                    adult's attendance;

                              (D) Provides care services for fewer than twenty (20) adults at the same time;

                              (E) Does not administer medications to adults while under the program's care;
                    and

                              (F) Maintains at least the same direct-care staff-to-participant ratio required for
                    licensed adult day services centers by rules promulgated pursuant to § 71-2-412 and
                    enforced as licensing rules under§ 71-2-409(c)(1).

          SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
         SENATE BILL NO. 1581

PASSED:  April 6, 2026

                                        RANDY McllALLY

                             SPEAKER OF THE SlNATE

                        CAMERO~TON,SPEAKER

                        HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

;Ji!f!_ {)pr; APPROVED this  l
         day of                         2026

         ~{.IJ,.

                    BILL LEE, GOVERNOR