Senate Bill 2181, also known as House Bill 2405, amends Tennessee Code Annotated to enhance health insurance benefits for public safety employees, specifically state and local law enforcement officers. The bill defines "catastrophic injury" and establishes that health insurance benefits must be provided to the surviving spouse and eligible dependent children of law enforcement officers who are killed or suffer a catastrophic injury in the line of duty on or after January 1, 2020. The employer is responsible for covering the entire premium for the officer and their dependents. Additionally, if the spouse or surviving spouse becomes eligible for insurance through a subsequent marriage, their coverage will be terminated, but dependent children may continue coverage if they meet eligibility requirements.

The bill also modifies existing provisions by removing references to "law enforcement officers" in certain contexts and replacing them with "firefighters." Furthermore, it introduces a new section that mandates political subdivisions offering health insurance to local law enforcement officers to provide similar benefits to their spouses and dependents under the same conditions. The state will reimburse these subdivisions for their health insurance premium costs related to these benefits. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 8-27-210, 8-27-404(a)(2), 8-27-404