NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Tennessee lawmaker wants to scale back the power of six independent metropolitan health departments during their response to a county-wide health emergency like COVID. That includes Shelby County.
Representative Jason Zachary of Knoxville filed the legislation for next year, which would affect his own home in Knox County, as well as Davidson, Hamilton, Madison, Shelby, and Sullivan Counties.
The bill moves county health directors, officers and the board of health to an advisory role, and gives county mayors the final authority to establish and implement policies during health emergencies.
The legislation comes weeks after house speaker Cameron Sexton said these county health departments had too much decision-making power. Sexton actually worked with Zachary to create the bill.
