Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee House Bill HB0827 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	SENATE BILL 190
3	3	By Lamar
4	4
5	5	HOUSE BILL 827
6	6	By Glynn
7	7
8	8
9	9	HB0827
10	10	000614
11	11	- 1 -
12	12
13	13	AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
14	14	Chapter 27; Title 50; Title 56 and Title 71, relative
15	15	to insurance coverage of pregnant employees.
16	16
17	17	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
18	18	SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 50, Chapter 1, Part 3, is amended by
19	19	adding the following as a new section:
20	20	(a) As used in this section:
21	21	(1) "Employee" means a natural person who performs services for an
22	22	employer for valuable consideration, and does not include a self-employed
23	23	independent contractor;
24	24	(2) "Employer" means a person, association, or legal or commercial
25	25	entity receiving services from an employee and, in return, giving compensation of
26	26	any kind to such employee;
27	27	(3) "Health benefit plan" means health insurance coverage as defined in
28	28	§ 56-7-109; and
29	29	(4) "Health insurer" means a health insurance entity as defined in § 56-7-
30	30	109.
31	31	(b) On and after July 1, 2025, if an employer terminates the employment of an
32	32	employee who is known to the employer to be pregnant, and such employee was
33	33	covered by an employer-sponsored health benefit plan prior to termination, then:
34	34	(1) The employer shall not:
35	35
36	36
37	37	- 2 - 000614
38	38
39	39	(A) Stop payment to the health insurer of the employer's share of
40	40	the cost to provide coverage of the former employee under the employer-
41	41	sponsored health benefit plan; or
42	42	(B) Request that the health insurer that issued the employer-
43	43	sponsored health benefit plan terminate the employee's coverage until the
44	44	employer has received a signed written statement pursuant to subdivision
45	45	(c)(1); and
46	46	(2) A health insurer shall not terminate the former employee's coverage
47	47	under the employer-sponsored health benefit plan based upon a request from the
48	48	employer unless such request is accompanied by proof of the employer's receipt
49	49	of the former employee's signed written statement described in subdivision (c)(1).
50	50	(c)
51	51	(1) An employee whose employment is terminated while the employee is
52	52	pregnant and covered under an employer-sponsored health benefit plan shall,
53	53	within thirty (30) days after the date the employee's pregnancy ends in childbirth
54	54	or otherwise, notify the employer using a signed written statement indicating the
55	55	date the pregnancy ended. The signed written statement may be submitted by
56	56	electronic means.
57	57	(2) If a former employee fails to notify the employer of the end of the
58	58	employee's pregnancy as required by subdivision (c)(1), then an employer may
59	59	bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover the employer's
60	60	costs to maintain continued coverage of the former employee under the
61	61	employer-sponsored health benefit plan from the date of termination of
62	62	employment.
63	63	SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.