SB 579

In addition to leave granted under present law, this bill requires an eligible state employee to be granted absence from work for a period of time equal to 12 weeks for recovery from surgery related to a living organ donation. If the eligible state empl oyee learns of the surgery date less than 30 days in advance, then the employee must give notice as soon as reasonably possible. For the purpose of calculating service anniversary dates, this absence from work is considered full-time employment. As used in the provisions above, an "eligible state employee"" means either:  An employee who has been employed full-time with the state for at least 12 consecutive months with (i) the executive branch and all boards, commissions and agencies of state government, unless excluded by state law; (ii) the judicial branch of state government, including the administrative office of the courts; (iii) the office of the attorney general; (iv) the offices of the district attorneys general and the district public defenders; (v) the Tennessee higher education commission; (vi) the Tennessee advisory commission on intergovernmental relations;(vii) the Tennessee housing development agency; and (viii) the Tennessee rehabilitative initiative in correction board.  An employee who has been employed full-time with the state for at least 12 consecutive months with any administrative board and commissions, except for an employee of any administrative board or commission that is attached to the legislative branch, the office of the secretary of state, the office of the state treasurer, or the office of the comptroller of the treasury. OTHER EMPLOYERS This bill requires an employer to grant an eligible employee an absence from work for a period of time equal to 12 weeks for recovery from surgery related to a living organ donation. If the eligible employee learns of the surgery date less than 30 days in advance, then the employee must give notice as soon as reasonably possible. As used in these provisions, ""employer"" means a person or entity that employs one or more employees and includes the state and its political subdivisions. INSURANCE COVERAGE This bill prohibits an insurer from denying coverage, canceling coverage, refusing to issue, determining the price or premium for, or otherwise varying any term or condition of a life insurance policy, disability insurance policy, or long-term care insur ance policy for a person based solely, and without any actual, unique, and material actuarial risks, on the status of the person as a living organ donor. INFORMATIONAL MATERIAL This bill requires the department of health, in consultation with the department of commerce and insurance, to produce informational material on living organ donation to educate the public on the (i) benefits and risks of living organ donation and (ii) i mpact of living organ donation on the access of a living organ donor to insurance. By July 1, 2025, the department of health must make available on the department's website the informational material on living organ donation. ON MARCH 19, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 579, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #2 makes the following changes:  Requires an eligible employee to be granted absence from work for a period of time equal to four weeks, rather than 12 weeks, for recovery from surgery related to a living organ donation.  Clarifies that an ""employer, as used in the bill, means the employer of any eligible employee.  Removes the provision that prohibits an insurer from denying coverage, canceling coverage, refusing to issue, determining the price or premium for, or otherwise varying any term or condition of a life insurance policy, disability insurance policy, or long term care insurance policy for a person based solely on the status of the person as a living organ donor.  Requires the department of health to make available on the department's website informational material on living organ donation by July 1, 2026, rather than July 1, 2025."