(a) There is created a commission to design, develop and propose legislation to the general assembly to enact and implement a catastrophic injuries fund for the purpose of compensating certain specified persons in an amount in excess of the governmental tort liability limits for injuries or death caused by the actions of an employee of a governmental entity and to study other issues relating to governmental tort liability. Such commission shall consist of the following members:

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 29-20-408

  • Employee: means and includes any official (whether elected or appointed), officer, employee or servant, or any member of any board, agency, or commission (whether compensated or not), or any officer, employee or servant thereof, of a governmental entity, including the sheriff and the sheriff's employees and, further including regular members of voluntary or auxiliary firefighting, police, or emergency assistance organizations. See Tennessee Code 29-20-102
  • Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
  • Governmental entity: means any political subdivision of the state of Tennessee including, but not limited to, any municipality, metropolitan government, county, utility district, school district, nonprofit volunteer fire department receiving funds appropriated by a county legislative body or a legislative body of a municipality, human resource agency, community action agency or nonprofit corporation that administers the Head Start or Community Service Block Grant programs, public building authority, and development district created and existing pursuant to the constitution and laws of Tennessee, or any instrumentality of government created by any one (1) or more of the named local governmental entities or by an act of the general assembly. See Tennessee Code 29-20-102
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Tort: A civil wrong or breach of a duty to another person, as outlined by law. A very common tort is negligent operation of a motor vehicle that results in property damage and personal injury in an automobile accident.
  • Trial: A hearing that takes place when the defendant pleads "not guilty" and witnesses are required to come to court to give evidence.
(1) Four (4) members to be appointed jointly by the speaker of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives from a list of eight (8) persons to be submitted jointly by the Tennessee municipal league, the Tennessee county services association, the Tennessee school board association, county-owned hospitals, self-insured municipalities, Tennessee public utilities and the Tennessee municipal league risk management pool by January 1, 2002;
(2) Four (4) members to be appointed jointly by the speaker of the senate and speaker of the house of representatives from a list of eight (8) persons submitted by the Tennessee trial lawyers association by January 1, 2002;
(3) The comptroller of the treasury or the comptroller’s designee;
(4) The state treasurer or the treasurer’s designee;
(5) The secretary of state or the secretary’s designee; and
(6) The chairs of the judiciary, state and local government and finance, ways and means committees of the senate and the civil justice, state government, and finance, ways and means committees of the house of representatives, or such chairs’ designees, who shall be ex officio non-voting members of the commission.
(b) If the speakers are unable to appoint four (4) members from the list of eight (8) submitted pursuant to subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2), the speakers shall notify the association or entities submitting the initial list and they shall have no more than forty-five (45) days to submit a new list of eight (8) persons. The speakers may request no more than two (2) such additional lists in making the respective four (4) member appointments.
(c) If for any reason a vacancy occurs in the commission membership appointed pursuant to subdivision (a)(1) or (a)(2), the association or entities making the original appointment shall have no more than thirty (30) days to submit to the speakers a list of two (2) persons to fill each such vacancy. The speakers shall jointly appoint a member to fill the vacancy in the same manner as the initial appointment.
(d) The commission shall first convene at the call of the state treasurer who shall serve as chair and shall coordinate the work of the commission.
(e) The catastrophic injuries fund commission shall design, develop and propose legislation to the general assembly to enact and implement the catastrophic injuries fund by July 1, 2006. The commission may report on and propose legislation, if necessary, on other issues related to governmental tort liability at any time, but no later than July 1, 2006.
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