A bill signed into law by Governor Bill Lee last year has reportedly resulted in dozens of Tennessee National Guard troops on state active duty receiving weekly compensation as opposed to waiting a month or longer to receive wages.
The bill, HB 0562, strengthened Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 58-1-109 by adding the following language to ensure active duty troops receive compensation on a weekly basis:
The compensation for members of the national guard under this section must accrue upon being ordered to active state service. The payment of compensation to the members must use this state’s established weekly pay cycle as needed to effectuate compensation.
The bill passed unanimously in both chambers of the Tennessee General Assembly during last year’s legislative session.
Tennessee State Representative Chris Todd (R-Madison County), who sponsored HB 0562, recently announced that the updated state law has benefited at least 215 National Guard troops since it took effect July 1, 2023, citing statistics from the Tennessee Department of Military.
“Members of the Tennessee National Guard already sacrifice so much to ensure our safety,” Todd said in a statement. “When I visited with the troops and learned of the hardships the old pay system placed on their families, I had to do something to help.”
“These brave men and women should never have to worry about their finances due to a lengthy delay in processing their initial paychecks. I am proud of this new law, and the meaningful impact it has had in the lives of those Tennesseans who have dedicated themselves to protecting our state and our nation,” Todd added.
Since the law took effect, Tennessee National Guard troops have been activated for multiple missions including wildfires, search and rescue efforts, Hurricane Idalia, and to secure the nation’s southern border in Texas.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
