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Tennessee · 114th Regular Session (2025-2026) · Bill

SB 1981: Workers Compensation - As enacted, adds a requirement that an award of attorneys' fees and costs incurred when an employer unreasonably denies a workers' compensation claim or unreasonably fails to timely initiate any of the benefits associated with the claim must be based on a finding by the workers' compensation judge that the employer's conduct was unreasonable; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 50, Chapter 6.

Enacted Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

SB 1981 is a bill introduced in the Tennessee Senate on January 22, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: Workers Compensation - As enacted, adds a requirement that an award of attorneys' fees and costs incurred when an employer unreasonably denies a workers' compensation claim or unreasonably fails to timely initiate any of the benefits associated with the claim must be based on a finding by the workers' compensation judge that the employer's conduct was unreasonable; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 50, Chapter 6. Primary sponsor: Richard Briggs (Republican). Most recent recorded action (May 5, 2026): Pub. Ch. 845.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Republican 1

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Richard BriggsPrimary sponsorRepublicanSenate7

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Pub. Ch. 845
  2. Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
  3. Signed by Governor.
  4. Transmitted to Governor for action.
  5. Signed by Senate Speaker
  6. Signed by H. Speaker
  7. Enrolled and ready for signatures
  8. Concurred, Ayes 32, Nays 0 (Amendment 2 - HA0962)
  9. Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/13/2026
  10. Subst. for comp. HB.
  11. Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0961)
  12. H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA0962)

Showing 12 most recent of 23 actions. Full history

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source