Today, the Tennessee House passed HB 915 with strong bipartisan support, which expands the state’s existing 6-week paid leave policy for state government employees to include caring for a family member with a serious health condition at the end of their life. The bill passed the state Senate unanimously last Wednesday, April 16th, and now heads to the Governor’s desk.
The policy builds on the previous passage of a 6-week paid parental leave policy for the birth or adoption of a child, which was enacted in 2023. Under this new policy, starting on January 1, 2026, state government employees will be able to use 6 weeks of paid leave to support a parent, spouse, child, or grandchild for whom they have custody who needs care at the end of life.
The following is a statement from Feroza Freeland, Policy Director of the Southern Office at A Better Balance:
“A Better Balance is encouraged by the strong bipartisan passage of HB 915/SB 322. This policy will provide much-needed financial security to state employees who are caring for a family member at the end of their life. By helping employees prioritize these caregiving responsibilities without sacrificing their job or paycheck, this legislation will make the state of Tennessee a more competitive and cost-efficient employer. While this bill is a positive first step, much work remains to ensure that state employees and all Tennesseans have the paid leave they need for the full range of caregiving needs. As the founder and leader of the Tennessee Paid Leave Coalition, A Better Balance is committed to continuing to work with lawmakers and stakeholders to build on this progress.”
