Passage of New Legislation Will Benefit Consumers, Public Servants

NASHVILLE – New legislative measures will deepen the State of Tennessee’s commitment to firefighters, police officers and members of the military while enhancing existing consumer laws that protect the Volunteer State’s vulnerable adults.  

“These programs will increase the pay supplements for Tennessee police officers and firefighters, provide access to new equipment and training for volunteer fire departments, and strengthen the penalties against those who choose to prey on the state’s most vulnerable population,” said Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Interim Commissioner Carter Lawrence. “I commend the members of the General Assembly for their work to enhance Tennessee communities and the people who serve them.”

Here’s a breakdown of the legislation and their effective dates:

• SB793/HB937/PC152: Changes the supplemental training pay for police officers and firefighters from $600 per year to $800 per year. (Takes effect July 1, 2019.)
• SB384/HB304/PC195: Exempts some members of the armed forces and their spouses from the professional licensure requirements if they hold a valid license to practice their regulated occupation in another state and are moving to Tennessee due to active duty orders. (Takes effect July 1, 2019.)
• SB1442/HB316/PC490: Known as the “Barry Brady Act”, this legislation creates the presumption that conditions resulting from certain cancers for full-time firefighters arose from employment. Any condition or impairment of health that results in the loss of life due to these conditions is considered a line of duty death. (Takes effect July 1, 2019.)
• SB1395/HB518/PC497: Creates a program known as the Volunteer Firefighter Equipment and Training Grant Program that provides annual grants to select volunteer fire departments to be used for the purchase of firefighting equipment or to meet local match requirements for federal grants for the purchase of firefighting equipment and training. (Takes effect Jan. 1, 2020.)
• SB1039/HB909/PC474: Known as the “Elderly and Vulnerable Adult Protection Act of 2019”, this legislation amends and strengthens laws to protect Tennessee’s most vulnerable populations. (Takes effect Jan. 1, 2020.)
• SB199/HB249/PC135: Creates an elder abuse task force to assess the status of elders and other vulnerable adults covered by the Tennessee Adult Protection Act. (Took effect upon becoming law.)

For more information about the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, visit tn.gov/commerce.

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