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TennesseeSB 1981114th General Assembly (2025-2026)SenateWALLET

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 50, Chapter 6, relative to workers' compensation.

Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable

Signed by Governor

Workers Compensation

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

More legal cost help for injured workers

For injuries on or after July 1, 2026, Tennessee’s workers’ compensation court may award reasonable lawyer fees and costs. This applies when employers fail to provide care, medicine, supplies, or equipment required by a settlement, hearing order, or judgment. For injuries from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030, workers and dependents have another path to these awards. A judge must find at an expedited or compensation hearing that an employer unreasonably denied a claim or delayed starting benefits. Covered benefits include medical care, temporary or permanent disability payments, and death benefits. At an expedited hearing, clear and convincing proof of unreasonableness means any award cannot wait until a compensation hearing. The order’s temporary status alone cannot justify denying or delaying an award. Awards are not automatic, and costs can include court reporters and expert witnesses.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

There is no primary sponsor on record.

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 168 • No: 0

Senate vote • 4/13/2026

FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 2 4/13/2026

Yes: 32 • No: 0

House vote • 4/7/2026

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/7/2026

Yes: 94 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/12/2026

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/12/2026

Yes: 33 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/3/2026

SENATE COMMERCE AND LABOR COMMITTEE

Yes: 9 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date(s) 07/01/2026

    5/5/2026

  2. Pub. Ch. 845

    5/5/2026

  3. Signed by Governor.

    4/27/2026Senate

  4. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    4/17/2026Senate

  5. Signed by H. Speaker

    4/16/2026House

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    4/16/2026Senate

  7. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    4/15/2026Senate

  8. Concurred, Ayes 32, Nays 0 (Amendment 2 - HA0962)

    4/13/2026Senate

  9. Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/13/2026

    4/10/2026Senate

  10. Passed H., as am., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0

    4/7/2026House

  11. H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA0962)

    4/7/2026House

  12. Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0961)

    4/7/2026House

  13. Subst. for comp. HB.

    4/7/2026House

  14. Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

    3/16/2026House

  15. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    3/12/2026Senate

  16. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 33, Nays 0

    3/12/2026Senate

  17. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0581)

    3/12/2026Senate

  18. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/12/2026

    3/10/2026Senate

  19. Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

    3/3/2026Senate

  20. Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

    2/24/2026Senate

  21. Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

    2/5/2026Senate

  22. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    2/2/2026Senate

  23. Filed for introduction

    1/22/2026Senate

Bill Text

  • HA0962 (Substitute)

    4/7/2026

    PDF

  • Enrolled / Public Chapter

    PDF

  • Fiscal Note

    PDF

  • HA0961

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

  • SA0581

    PDF

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