HB 959 Tennessee House · 114th Regular Session (2025-2026)

Medical Occupations - As enacted, makes various changes relative to marriage and family therapist licensure. - Amends TCA Title 33 and Title 63.

HB 959 updates Tennessee's licensure rules for marriage and family therapists. It allows students in accredited programs to use titles like "marital therapy intern" while supervised, and clarifies that associate license holders must use "associate licensed marriage and family therapist" or "AMFT" (not implying full licensure). The bill creates specific pathways for associate licensure, requiring a 9-month exam deadline and supervised practice under approved supervisors, while defining "approved supervisor" to include AAMFT-approved professionals. These changes directly affect therapy students, trainees, and practitioners seeking licensure in Tennessee.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
Apr 2025
Introduced Feb 6, 2025 Signed Apr 11, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Mar 27, 2025 · House Mar 10, 2025

How they voted

370
Passed
Total votes 37
Mar 27, 2025
D Democratic6
6 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican31
31 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
28
Key actions
12
Committee
7
Amendments
1
Apr 11, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor.
lower
Apr 7, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by H. Speaker
lower
Apr 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by Senate Speaker
upper
Apr 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
H. concurred in S. am. no. 2 Ayes 85, Nays 0 PNV 3 HB0959
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Lower · Passed
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0156)
lower
Mar 27, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 32, Nays 0
upper
Mar 13, 2025
Introduced
Received from House, Passed on First Consideration
lower
Mar 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0032)
lower
Mar 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed H., as am., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0
lower
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
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
Feb 11, 2025
Committee
Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee
lower
Feb 10, 2025
Committee
P2C, ref. to Health Committee
lower
Feb 6, 2025
Introduced
Intro., P1C.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Caleb Hemmer
Caleb Hemmer
DDemocratic
TN
59