Budget Procedures - As introduced, authorizes grant payments under the grant assistance program for nursing home care to be made either monthly or quarterly. - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 9; Title 10; Title 11; Title 12; Title 13; Title 16; Title 17; Title 18; Title 29; Title 33; Title 36; Title 37; Title 38; Title 39; Title 40; Title 41; Title 43; Title 44; Title 45; Title 47; Title 48; Title 49; Title 50; Title 52; Title 53; Title 54; Title 55; Title 56; Title 57; Title 58; Title 59; Title 60; Title 61; Title 62; Title 63; Title 64; Title 65; Title 66; Title 67; Title 68; Title 69; Title 70 and Title 71.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Allows nursing home grant payments to be made quarterly or monthly, adding quarterly option while preserving total funding.

Action deferred in Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee to next calendar

#budgetprocedures

1. Purpose and Intent

The primary purpose of SB 2691 is to authorize grant payments under the Grant Assistance Program for Nursing Home Care to be made on a quarterly basis, in addition to the current monthly option.

The bill amends the statutory framework to reflect a choice between monthly and quarterly payments, rather than requiring monthly payments.

2. Key Provisions and Changes

Policy Change:

Amends Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) § 71-5-1305 by replacing the word “monthly” with “monthly or quarterly” when describing grant payment schedules.

Scope of Amendment:

The change is codified across a broad set of titles (Titles 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 29, 33, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48, 49, 50, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71) to align with the annual appropriations act implementation.

Effective Date:

The act takes effect upon becoming law, “the public welfare requiring it.”

3. Affected Parties and Impacts

Affected Programs:

Grant Assistance Program for Nursing Home Care (TN state program addressing financial support for qualifying individuals in nursing home care).

Affected Stakeholders:

Grant recipients (eligible individuals) who receive payments for nursing home care.
The program administration and fiscal staff responsible for disbursement schedules.

Practical Impact:

Recipients and program staff would have flexibility in payment timing, with quarterly payments replacing or supplementing monthly payments as allowed by the statute.
Total annual expenditures of the program remain unchanged; the change affects payment cadence, not overall funding levels (as supported by fiscal notes).

4. Fiscal and Procedural Considerations

Fiscal Impact:

Described as “not significant.” The total expenditures are unchanged because the payments still come from the same appropriation base; reducing the number of payments (monthly vs. quarterly) does not alter aggregate disbursements.

Legislative History:

Introduced in early 2026; passed first reading and second consideration in the Senate.
As of the latest action, the bill was deferred in the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee to the next calendar.

Effective Date:

Immediate upon becoming law (no specific delay or delayed effective date mentioned beyond standard enactment).

5. Public Policy Context

The bill provides administrative flexibility in the timing of grant disbursements while preserving total funding requirements.

It aligns grant payment procedures with the annual appropriations process and could simplify cash flow management for the program.

If you’d like, I can provide a plain-language one-page briefing for policymakers or a side-by-side comparison of monthly vs. quarterly payment schedules under current law.

Bill

Summary of Bill: SB 2691 (HB 2629) – Budget Procedures and Grant Payments for Nursing Home Care

1. Purpose and Intent

2. Key Provisions and Changes

3. Affected Parties and Impacts

4. Fiscal and Procedural Considerations

5. Public Policy Context

Create your proposal