Traumatic Brain Injury Funds at Risk

A bill has been introduced that - on the surface - seems harmless enough, but once one looks at the unintended consquenes it is clear that funding for Traumatic Brain Injury programming could take a significant cut as a result.  Efforts are underway to see about an amendment to ensure TBI Funds are protected so stay tuned.

Senate Bill 2523 and HB 2544 creates an offense of super speeding when driver speeds at 75 mph or more on any two-lane highway or 85 mph or more on any public highway; the violation is a Class B misdemeanor punishable by a $200 fine only.  The revenues from those fines are to be dedicated to the Trauma System Fund to help cover the cost of unreimbursed care.

HOWEVER

Unintended consequence:  While the Trauma System is a worthy recipient of the revenues, the bill as written may have the unintended consequence of diminishing - perhaps significantly - the revenues to the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Trust Fund.

• Legislatively established in 1993 to address the unique needs of survivors of traumatic brain injury, the TBI Program is funded through additional fines on specific traffic violations, including speeding.
• The TBI trust fund receives $5 from every speeding ticket.
• The trust fund revenues of $1 million per year and are used to provide home and community based services to the 8,000 Tennesseans who sustain a brain injury annually. 

Revenue Shift: the proposed legislation is anticipated to bring in approximately $3.7 million. However that revenue will bypass the TBI Trust Fund and effectively siphon off some fines that otherwise fund the TBI program, resulting in a lost of services to TBI survivors.

TBI Program Services: With money from the TBI trust fund, survivors of brain injury are benefiting from a variety of programs:

• Assistance of a local service coordinator
• Personal care assistance in order to live as independently as possible
• Therapeutic recreation program
• Social and recreational activities at a camp for brain injury survivors

With this limited funding, the TBI Program has been able to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of survivors. 

The bill will be heard in the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday, April 13.  It will also be heard soon in the Senate Transporation Committee.  If your legislators serve on one of these committees (see below), please urge them to vote against SB2523/HB2544 if it will cut funding for the TBI Trust Funding. 

Keys for successful Communication:  1) please only contact your personal legislator - not the entire committee, 2) provide the bill number when communicating, 3) be polite and thoughtful, and 4) provide your address so the legislator knows you are a constituent.

House Transporation Committee

Click a name to get their phone, fax and email address.

Bil Harmon - Sequatchie, Van Buren, Grundy and Marion Counties

Vince Dean - Part of Hamilton County

George Fraley - Franklin, Moore, and part of Lincoln County

Judy Barker - Obion, Lake and part of Dyer County

Ty Cobb - Part of Maury County

Chad Faulkner - Campbell and Union County

Richard Floyd - Part of Hamilton County

Matthew Hill - Part of Washington County

Phillip Johnson -  Cheatham and parts of Montgomery and Williamson Counties.

Pat Marsh - Bedford and parts of Lincoln and Rutherford Counties

Jimmy Matlock - Parts of Loudon and Monroe Counties

Tony Shipley - Part of Sullivan County

John C. Tidwell - Houston, Humphreys, Perry, and parts of Hickman and Maury Counties

Ben West Jr. - Part of Davidson County.

Senate Transportation

Jim Tracy - Bedford, Moore, and part of Rutherford County.

Steve Southerland - Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, and Unicoi Counties

Tim Barnes - Cheatham, Houston, and Montgomery Counties

Mae Beavers - Cannon, Clay, DeKalb, Macon, Smith and parts of Sumner, Trousdale, and Wilson Counties

Andy Berke - Parts of Hamilton and Marion Counties

Lowe Finney - Madison, Gibson, and Carroll Counties

Dolores Gresham - Chester, Crockett, Fayette, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, McNairy, and Wayne Counties

Doug Jackson - Dickson, Giles, Hickman, Humphreys, Lawrence, and Lewis Counties

Ken Yager - Campbell, Fentress, Morgan, Rhea, Roane, and Scott Counties