Senate Bill 2212 amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated to establish clearer guidelines for compensation claims related to the deaths of emergency responders in the line of duty. The bill specifies that claims for annuities must be filed within three years of either the date of the responder's death or the date of a final determination that the death occurred in the line of duty. Additionally, the bill outlines the review process for denied claims, establishing that claims from law enforcement officers, firefighters, volunteer rescue squad workers, and emergency medical technicians will be reviewed by their respective commissions within one year of denial.

The bill also introduces provisions for the binding nature of the final orders issued by these commissions and mandates that copies of these determinations be sent to the claimant's estate and the department of finance and administration. The commissioner involved in the review process for denied claims is restricted from participating in the commission's review, although they may provide testimony if requested. This legislation is set to take effect upon becoming law and is retroactive to March 1, 2020, unless otherwise prohibited by constitutional constraints.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 7-51-210(c), 7-51-210, 7-51-210(e)