Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SB0654 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2		-	HOUSE BILL 717
3		-	By Jones R
	2	+	<BillNo> <Sponsor>
4	3
5	4		SENATE BILL 654
6	5		By Crowe
7	6
8	7
9	8		SB0654
10	9		002698
11	10		- 1 -
12	11
13	12		AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 9;
14	13		Title 33; Title 52; Title 67 and Title 68, relative to
15	14		relief for caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's
16	15		disease or related dementia.
17	16
18	17		WHEREAS, one in three senior citizens will die from dementia; and
19	18		WHEREAS, the caregivers of family members with Alzheimer's disease incur
20	19		replacement costs and forgone wages estimated to be $36,667 per person; and
21	20		WHEREAS, financial relief is positively related to the level of service and support
22	21		provided by informal caregivers; and
23	22		WHEREAS, it is fitting and proper that the state create a financial relief program to
24	23		benefit Alzheimer's caregivers; now, therefore,
25	24		BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
26	25		SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 52, is amended by adding the following
27	26		as a new chapter:
28	27		52-9-101. This chapter is known and may be cited as the "Caring for Caregivers Act."
29	28		52-9-102. As used in this chapter:
30	29		(1) "Activities of daily living" or "ADL" means:
31	30		(A) Ambulating, which is the extent of an individual's ability to move from
32	31		one position to another and walk independently;
33	32		(B) Feeding, which is the ability of an individual to feed oneself;
34	33		(C) Dressing, which is the ability to select appropriate clothes and to put
35	34		the clothes on without aid;
	35	+	(D) Personal hygiene, which is the ability to bathe and groom oneself and
	36	+	maintain dental hygiene and nail and hair care;
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40		-	(D) Personal hygiene, which is the ability to bathe and groom oneself and
41		-	maintain dental hygiene and nail and hair care;
42	41		(E) Continence, which is the ability to control bladder and bowel function;
43	42		and
44	43		(F) Toileting, which is the ability to get to and from the toilet without aid,
45	44		using it appropriately, and cleaning oneself;
46	45		(2) "Adjusted income" means household income minus fifty percent (50%) of the
47	46		cost of total eligible expenditures for the year;
48	47		(3) "Alzheimer's disease or related dementia" has the same meaning as defined
49	48		in § 52-8-203;
50	49		(4) "Eligible expenditures":
51	50		(A) Means uncompensated expenses paid or incurred by a family
52	51		caregiver that are directly related to assisting the family caregiver in providing
53	52		care to an eligible family member;
54	53		(B) Includes expenses paid or incurred for:
55	54		(i) The improvement or alteration to the family caregiver's or
56	55		eligible family member's primary residence to permit the eligible family
57	56		member to live in the residence and to remain mobile, safe, and
58	57		independent;
59	58		(ii) The family caregiver's purchase or lease of equipment,
60	59		including healthcare equipment, durable medical equipment, or
61	60		technology, that is necessary to assist an eligible family member in
62	61		carrying out one (1) or more ADLs; or
63	62		(iii) Respite care; and
	63	+	(C) Does not include the carrying out of general household maintenance
	64	+	activities such as painting, plumbing, electrical repairs, or exterior maintenance;
	65	+	(5) "Eligible family member" means an individual who:
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68		-	(C) Does not include the carrying out of general household maintenance
69		-	activities such as painting, plumbing, electrical repairs, or exterior maintenance;
70		-	(5) "Eligible family member" means an individual who:
71	70		(A) Requires assistance with at least two (2) ADLs and is diagnosed with
72	71		Alzheimer's disease or related dementia and qualifies as an adult child, spouse,
73	72		parent, or other relative by blood or marriage to a family caregiver; and
74	73		(B) Lives in a private residential home and not in an assisted living
75	74		center, nursing facility, or residential care home;
76	75		(6) "Family caregiver" means an individual who:
77	76		(A) Provides care and support for an eligible family member;
78	77		(B) Has incurred eligible expenditures; and
79	78		(C) For calendar year 2026, and each subsequent year, has an annual
80	79		adjusted income from all sources that does not exceed thirty-seven thousand
81	80		dollars ($37,000); and
82	81		(7) "Respite care" has the same meaning as defined in § 52-8-203.
83	82		52-9-103.
84	83		(a) The department shall establish and administer a family caregiver grant pilot
85	84		program to provide grants to family caregivers of eligible family members in each of the
86	85		three (3) grand divisions to offset eligible expenditures incurred by the family caregivers.
87	86		The pilot program must be operated from July 1, 2025, to December 31, 2028.
88	87		(b) There is created a separate fund within the general fund to be known as the
89	88		family caregiver grant fund. The fund is composed of:
90	89		(1) Funds appropriated by the general assembly for the fund; and
91	90		(2) Gifts, grants, and other donations received by the department for the
92	91		fund.
	92	+	(c) Subject to the availability of funds, the department shall allocate and disperse
	93	+	grants each fiscal year of the pilot program period to family caregivers of eligible family
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97		-	(c) Subject to the availability of funds, the department shall allocate and disperse
98		-	grants each fiscal year of the pilot program period to family caregivers of eligible family
99	98		members on a first-come, first-served basis. A grant awarded under this chapter is
100	99		limited to six thousand dollars ($6,000) per family caregiver in a fiscal year.
101	100		(d) Family caregivers must continue to qualify for a grant while the eligible family
102	101		member is temporarily relocated for health care to a hospital or skilled or intermediate
103	102		care facility if the eligible family member indicates an intent to return to the private
104	103		residential home when recovered sufficiently.
105	104		(e) It is the legislative intent that an initial appropriation in the amount of six
106	105		hundred thousand dollars ($600,000) be appropriated in fiscal year 2025-2026 in the
107	106		general appropriations act for awarding grants from the fund.
108	107		(f) Moneys in the fund must be invested by the state treasurer for the benefit of
109	108		the fund in accordance with § 9-4-603. Interest accruing on investments and deposits of
110	109		the fund must be returned to the fund and remain part of the fund. Any unencumbered
111	110		moneys and any unexpended balance of the fund remaining at the end of a fiscal year
112	111		do not revert to the general fund, but must be carried forward until expended in
113	112		accordance with this section.
114	113		52-9-104. The annual adjusted income limit in § 52-9-103(6)(C) must be adjusted by the
115	114		department on July 1, 2026, and July 1, 2027, to reflect the cost-of-living adjustment for social
116	115		security recipients as determined by the social security administration and must be rounded to
117	116		the nearest ten dollars ($10.00). The income attributable to the family caregiver applying for a
118	117		grant is the income of the family caregiver and the income of the family caregiver's spouse, if
119	118		applicable.
120	119		52-9-105. The commissioner may promulgate rules to effectuate this chapter in
121	120		accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.
	121	+	52-9-106. On or before October 1, 2026, and by October 1 of each subsequent year,
	122	+	until the close of the pilot program period, the department shall submit a report to the chair of
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126		-	52-9-106. On or before October 1, 2026, and by October 1 of each subsequent year,
127		-	until the close of the pilot program period, the department shall submit a report to the chair of
128	127		the health and welfare committee of the senate and the chair of the committee in the house of
129	128		representatives having jurisdiction over health-related matters on the status of the program and
130	129		on the funds received and payments made by the family caregiver grant fund.
131	130		SECTION 2. This act is not an appropriation of funds, and funds must not be obligated
132	131		or expended pursuant to this act unless the funds are specifically appropriated by the general
133	132		appropriations act.
134	133		SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.