Death - As enacted, removes the limitation that a death must have been anticipated for a registered nurse to make the actual determination and pronouncement of death if a deceased was a patient or resident at a nursing home, hospital, or assisted-care living facility. - Amends TCA Title 68.
HB 155 amends Tennessee law to allow registered nurses to pronounce death for patients or residents in nursing homes, hospitals, or assisted-care facilities without needing to confirm the death was "anticipated." The bill removes this prior requirement and instead requires the attending physician's written agreement to sign the death certificate, which must be present at the time of death. This change directly affects registered nurses working in healthcare facilities by expanding their authority to formally declare death. The law took effect upon enactment (April 8, 2025), streamlining the death certification process for healthcare providers.
Bill status
died
3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 15, 2025
Last action Apr 8, 2025
Floor votes · House Mar 4, 2025
How they voted
20–0
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 21
Mar 4, 2025
D
Democratic4
100% Yea
R
Republican17
94% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
19
Key actions
6
Committee
8
Mar 5, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/6/2025
lower
Mar 4, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
lower
Mar 4, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (20-0-1)
house
Feb 26, 2025
Committee
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Health Committee
lower
Feb 26, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/4/2025
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 2/26/2025
lower
Jan 28, 2025
Committee
Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee
lower
Jan 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
P2C held on desk pending appointment of Standing Committees
lower
Jan 16, 2025
Committee
Ref. to Health Committee
lower
Jan 15, 2025
Introduced
Intro., P1C.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Michael Hale
RRepublican
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