Firefighters - As enacted, extends the period for the estate of an emergency responder killed in the line of duty from three years from the date of death to the later of such date or the date of a final order of a court,, the official text

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      State f/Jen!U!<Ssee

                             PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 721

                                                    SENATE BILL NO. 2212

          By Taylor, Bailey, White, Akbari, Pody, Yager, Haile, Gardenhire, Jackson, Lowe

                                            Substituted for: House Bill No. 2477

 By Parkinson, White, Gillespie, Littleton, Haston, Barrett, Lankford, Maberry, Sherrell, Moody, Hurt,
    Rudd, Sparks, Baum, Vaughan, Leatherwood, Capley, Cepicky, Gary Hicks, Crawford, Hulsey,
    Doggett, Warner, Alexander, Eldridge, Hill, Renea Jones, Tim Hicks, Moon, Lamberth, Garrett,
  Shaw, Todd, Reneau, Vital, Greg Martin, Hakeem, Helton-Haynes, Camper, Clemmons, Atchley,
   Raper, Dixie, Butler, Scarbrough, Stinnett, Russell, Hardaway, Bricken, McCalmon, Davis, Love,
                               Reeves, Terry, Wright, Glynn, Garringer, Hawk, Chism

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 24; Title 7, Chapter 51, Part 2; Title
          38, Chapter 8 and Title 68, Chapter 140, relative to compensation for emergency responder
          deaths in the line of duty.

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

          SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-51-210(c), is amended by deleting the
subsection and substituting:

                    (c) A claim for payment of an annuity pursuant to this section must be filed with the
          department of finance and administration no later than three (3) years after the later of the
          following:

                              (1) The date of death of the decedent; or

                              (2) The date of a final order or other determination designating the decedent's
                    death as being in the line of duty that is issued by a court, administrative law judge, or
                    other state or local government official, entity, or body with the authority to issue such
                    order or determination.

          SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 7-51-210(e), is amended by deleting the
subsection and substituting:

                    (e)(1) A denial of a claim made under this section by the estate of a law enforcement
                    officer is subject to review by the Tennessee peace officer standards and training
                    commission within one (1) year of the date of the denial. The commission has the
                    authority to review the claim and issue a final order or other determination which is
                    binding upon this state. The commission shall cause copies of the final order or
                    determination to be delivered to the claimant's estate and the department of finance
                    and administration.

                              (2) A denial of a claim made under this section by the estate of a firefighter or
                    volunteer rescue squad worker is subject to review by the commission on firefighting
                    personnel standards and education within one (1) year of the date of the denial. The
                    commission has the authority to review the claim and issue a final order or other
                    determination which is binding upon this state. The commission shall cause copies of
                    the final order or determination to be delivered to the claimant's estate and the
                    department of finance and administration. The commissioner shall not participate in
                    the commission's review of a denied claim; except, that the commissioner may offer
                    testimony regarding the commissioner's reasons for denying the claim, if requested
                    by the commission.
SB 2212
                             (3) A denial of a claim made under this section by the estate of an emergency

                   medical technician is subject to review by the Tennessee emergency medical
                   services board within one (1) year of the date of the denial. The board has the
                   authority to review the claim and issue a final order or other determination which is
                   binding upon this state. The board shall cause copies of the final order or
                   determination to be delivered to the claimant's estate and the department of finance
                   and administration.
         SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it, and
unless prohibited by the United States Constitution or Tennessee Constitution, is retroactive to
March 1, 2020.

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         SENATE BILL NO. 2212

PASSED:  March 26, 2026

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                         '                     RANDY Mc.LLY

                                  SPEAKER OF THE SENATE

                         CAMEffl SEXTON, SPEAKER
                         HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APPROVED this J~iJI- day of ~cil               2026

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                           BILL LEE, GOVERNOR