Tennessee Bills

SB 343 extends the deadline for Tennessee licensing boards to respond to health department inquiries about prescribers with concerning prescribing patterns. Specifically, it increases the response time from 30 to 45 days when the Department of Health asks about actions taken (or lack thereof) against prescribers identified as statistical outliers, top prescribers, or high-risk prescribers of controlled substances. This change directly affects licensing boards responsible for reviewing prescriber conduct under Tennessee health regulations. The bill amends multiple sections of Tennessee law (Titles 4, 29, 33, 56, 63, 68, and 71) to implement this procedural adjustment.

HB 705 amends Tennessee's insurance law to change the annual disclosure deadline for insurers. It moves the submission date from June 1 to July 1 each year for insurers and insurance groups required to report to the commissioner of commerce and insurance under the Corporate Governance Annual Disclosure Act. This bill directly affects insurance companies operating in Tennessee that must file these annual disclosures. The change is purely procedural, adjusting a specific deadline without altering the substance of the disclosure requirements.

HB 853 clarifies that parents, legal guardians, or legal custodians of unemancipated minors can access all health and medical records, including those related to treatments provided without parental consent. The bill also permits school employees to provide basic first aid (bandages, gauze, or ice packs) for minor injuries like cuts, scrapes, bumps, or bruises without requiring parental permission. This legislation amends Tennessee Code sections in Titles 33, 36, 37, 49, 63, and 68 to update language on medical record access and school health procedures. The changes directly affect minors, their caregivers, and school staff by standardizing medical information access and allowing immediate minor injury care in schools.

SB 865 changes the deadline for Tennessee insurance companies to submit annual corporate governance disclosures to the commissioner of commerce and insurance. Specifically, it extends the filing deadline from June 1 to July 1 each year. This bill directly affects insurers, agents, and brokers required to comply with the Corporate Governance Annual Disclosure Act. The change modifies Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 56, Section 56-2-904(a), providing a one-month extension for compliance.

SB 1225 requires businesses selling smoking paraphernalia (like pipes or vapor products) to prominently display a sign showing the legal age for purchasing these items. This replaces an older warning sign requirement that was permitted before April 22, 1994, and aligns with the Prevention of Youth Access to Tobacco, Smoking Hemp, and Vapor Products Act. The law applies to all retail locations distributing such products in Tennessee and takes effect on July 1, 2025. It directly affects businesses selling smoking-related items by mandating a specific, updated signage requirement.

HB 1354 requires businesses selling smoking paraphernalia (like pipes or vaporizers) to display a specific sign about the legal age for purchase, as mandated by the Prevention of Youth Access to Tobacco, Smoking Hemp, and Vapor Products Act. This replaces a previous option allowing sellers to use an older tobacco warning sign that was required before April 22, 1994. The law applies to all retailers distributing such products in Tennessee and takes effect July 1, 2025. It directly affects vape shops, smoke shops, and similar businesses by standardizing signage requirements.

SB 502 expands the scope of practice for licensed athletic trainers in Tennessee. It changes the definition of "athletic injury" to include any condition limiting physical activity participation (not just injuries), allowing trainers to treat such conditions under physician supervision. The bill also explicitly clarifies that athletic trainers are healthcare providers and lists specific procedures they may perform, such as blood glucose monitoring, injections, and wound closure. This directly affects licensed athletic trainers by broadening their treatment authority while maintaining requirements for physician oversight and board certification.

HB 658 expands the scope of practice for athletic trainers in Tennessee by allowing them to treat conditions that limit or prevent participation in physical activities (not just injuries), directly affecting athletes and patients seeking preventive or rehabilitative care. The bill clarifies athletic trainers are healthcare providers and authorizes specific new procedures, including blood glucose monitoring, dry needling, and intravenous fluid administration. It amends licensing requirements to align with these expanded duties, requiring board certification and specific training for these new practices. The changes apply to all licensed athletic trainers practicing under physician supervision in the state.

SB 1369 removes the requirement for acute care hospitals in Tennessee to obtain state approval (a "certificate of need") to establish or operate, effective July 1, 2028. It defines "acute care hospital" as one primarily treating patients with an average stay of 25 days or less. This change directly affects new and existing acute care hospitals by eliminating a regulatory hurdle for expansion or operation. The bill amends specific Tennessee Code sections to implement this change, while maintaining certificate of need requirements for other hospital types.

This Tennessee bill (SB 259) clarifies that parents, legal guardians, or custodians can access all health and medical records of unemancipated minors - including records from treatments provided without parental consent. It also permits school staff to provide basic first aid (bandages, gauze, or ice packs) for minor cuts, scrapes, or bumps. The law affects parents, schools, and healthcare providers by expanding access to minors' health records and defining school staff's limited medical authority. It amends Tennessee codes related to healthcare, education, and minor treatment (Titles 33, 36, 37, 49, 63, and 68).

HB 819 removes a regulatory requirement for acute care hospitals in Tennessee. It exempts these hospitals - defined as facilities treating patients with an average stay of 25 days or less - from needing state approval (a "certificate of need") to open or operate new facilities or expand services. The exemption takes effect on July 1, 2028, and applies to all acute care hospitals under Tennessee law. This change directly affects hospital operators by reducing one layer of state oversight for their facility planning.

SB 520 expands the service area of the West Tennessee River Basin Authority to include Perry, Stewart, Houston, and Humphreys counties. The bill directly affects these four counties and the authority, which will now have jurisdiction over them. Key provisions require the authority to provide only technical assistance, engineering services, and project management support in these newly added counties, rather than full program delivery. This change updates the authority's jurisdictional boundaries in Tennessee Code Annotated Title 64, Section 64-1-1101(c)(1), while maintaining existing service structures for other counties.