HB 46
FISCAL NOTE
Fiscal Review Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
February 3, 2025
Fiscal Analyst: Christine Drescher | Email: christine.drescher@capitol.tn.gov | Phone: 615-741-2564
HB 46
SUMMARY OF BILL: Requires the Department of Children’s Services (DCS), and any
other department administering state funds specially appropriated for child advocacy centers, to
ensure that a reimbursement payment owed to child advocacy centers is paid within 30 days of the
date of request for the reimbursement, or to pay an additional 10 percent of the total reimbursement
amount owed as a late fee. Specifies that the 10 percent payment be paid from the applicable
department’s budget without additional appropriation. Requires DCS to submit a report on the
timeliness of reimbursements to child advocacy centers to the clerks of the Senate and House of
Representatives by January 15 of every year, beginning in 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
NOT SIGNIFICANT
Assumptions:
• Annual payments issued by DCS to child advocacy centers over the last three fiscal years
were as follows:
o FY21-22: $3,090,797
o FY22-23: $3,355,415
o FY23-24: $3,511,240
• According to DCS, the department is currently able to make payments to child advocacy
centers within 30 days of the date of request for reimbursement, and therefore does not
anticipate being subject to the late fees established by this legislation.
• DCS will submit the annual report on the timeliness of reimbursements to child advocacy
centers to the required recipients utilizing existing DCS staff and resources.
• No fiscal impact to state or local government.
CERTIFICATION:
The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Bojan Savic, Executive Director