Tennessee Bills

SB 225 requires Tennessee health insurers to reimburse chiropractic physicians at the same rate as medical doctors for identical services, amending Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 56 and 63. It prohibits insurers from using separate payment codes or methodologies for chiropractic services compared to physician services, ensuring equal reimbursement based on nationally recognized coding systems like the CPT book. This applies to private health insurance plans but excludes TennCare, CoverKids, and government-provided insurance. The bill aims to eliminate reimbursement disparities for chiropractors offering equivalent services to medical doctors. It was scheduled to take effect July 1, 2025, but failed in committee on March 25, 2025.

SB 435 requires Tennessee health insurers and TennCare to cover biomarker testing for diagnosis, treatment, or monitoring of diseases starting January 1, 2026. Biomarker testing - medical tests analyzing genes, proteins, or other biological markers - must be covered when supported by FDA approvals, clinical guidelines, or evidence-based standards. Insurers must process prior authorization requests within 24 hours for urgent cases and 72 hours for non-urgent ones, while ensuring coverage avoids repeated biopsies. This affects all private health benefit plans and TennCare enrollees by mandating coverage for specific, evidence-based diagnostic and treatment tests.

SB 303 would allow Tennessee public schools and charter schools to display specific historical documents - such as the Ten Commandments, Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, Tennessee Constitution, Bill of Rights, or school history resolutions - in prominent locations like entryways or cafeterias. It requires these displays to be in hard copy (e.g., posters) and lets school boards decide placement and size. The bill aims to educate students on "historical significance and common cultural heritage" as stated in its text. It directly affects all Tennessee public school districts and charter schools.

HB 484 requires health insurers and TennCare to cover biomarker testing for diagnosis, treatment, or monitoring of diseases starting January 1, 2026. It applies to all health benefit plans (including private insurance) and TennCare plans, mandating coverage when tests are supported by FDA approvals, clinical guidelines, or evidence-based standards. The bill specifies that insurers must approve or deny prior authorization requests within 24-72 hours and provide clear appeal processes for patients. This policy directly affects patients needing biomarker tests (e.g., for cancer treatment) and insurers managing coverage for these tests.

HB 29 requires health insurance companies to reimburse chiropractic physicians at the same rate as medical doctors for identical services, using the same payment methodology. It prohibits insurers from creating separate chiropractic codes or rates to avoid this requirement, applying to standard medical coding systems like CPT. The law directly affects chiropractors and insurers, but excludes state Medicaid (TennCare), CoverKids, and government-provided insurance. Key provisions mandate equal reimbursement calculations based on nationally recognized codes, with no impact on existing payment structures for exempt programs. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025.

HB 388 removes the June 30, 2028, expiration date for municipalities that continue to receive state sales tax revenue allocated under a now-repealed 2005 program (the Courthouse Square Revitalization Pilot Project Act). It directly affects eligible municipalities by making their ongoing revenue allocation permanent. The bill amends Tennessee law to delete the termination date and clarifies that the "courthouse square revitalization zone" refers to the area defined as of June 1, 2015. This is a procedural change to extend an existing financial provision, not a new policy.

HB 555 changes Tennessee's burglary law by reclassifying the offense of burglarizing a vehicle (such as a car or truck) from a Class E felony to a Class D felony. This adjustment directly affects individuals convicted of this specific type of burglary, resulting in a less severe criminal classification. The bill also updates related legal references in Tennessee Code to align with this change. It will take effect on July 1, 2025, applying to offenses committed after that date.

HB 397 directs state and local sales tax revenue from admissions, food, merchandise, parking, and related services at a specific stadium to fund that stadium's capital and operational costs. It applies only to stadiums in a single county (population 366,200-366,300 per 2020 census) hosting NCAA FCS football games, soccer events, and local events. The revenue - excluding local sales tax portions for schools - must be used exclusively for stadium capital projects (including debt payments) and operations until the debt is paid or July 1, 2055, whichever comes first. The bill requires the stadium operator to reimburse the state for reallocation costs.

SB 671 reclassifies burglary of a vehicle (a "conveyance") from a Class E felony to a Class D felony under Tennessee law. This change directly affects individuals convicted of breaking into cars, trucks, or other vehicles. The bill modifies specific sections of Tennessee Code (39-13-1002 and 40-32-101) to reflect this updated felony classification. The policy change reduces the severity of penalties for this specific offense, effective July 1, 2025.

SB 211 would allocate state and local sales tax revenue from a specific stadium to its operator. The bill targets a stadium in a county with a 2020 census population of 366,200-366,300 that hosts NCAA FCS football, soccer, and other events. Revenue from admissions, food/drinks, merchandise, parking, and related services (excluding school-focused local taxes) would fund the stadium’s capital projects and operations. This allocation would continue until the stadium’s debt is paid off or July 1, 2055, whichever comes first. The bill applies only to the entity designated to operate the stadium.

SB 145 extends indefinitely the continuation of state sales tax revenue payments to certain Tennessee municipalities that were part of the repealed Courthouse Square Revitalization Pilot Project Act of 2005. It removes the June 30, 2028, termination date from the law and clarifies that the "courthouse square revitalization zone" refers to the area defined as of June 1, 2015. This procedural bill directly affects eligible municipalities still receiving these tax allocations, ensuring their funding continues without a sunset provision.

This joint resolution officially designates the week of April 27 to May 1, 2026, as Health Information Technology Week in Tennessee. It recognizes the Tennessee Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society for its work in advancing technology within the state's healthcare system. The measure highlights how digital tools help improve care delivery and address public health challenges while acknowledging the industry's significant economic impact. As a commemorative resolution, it does not alter laws or create new regulations but serves to honor the contributions of health technology professionals.