SB 2461 creates a new certification requirement for individuals practicing assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Tennessee, directly affecting fertility clinics and ART practitioners. It mandates the Department of Health to establish a certification process for these professionals, requiring them to obtain a certificate to legally provide ART services. Key provisions include prohibiting genetic testing of embryos except for chromosomal abnormalities or fatal fetal anomalies, requiring use of standardized consent forms with specific patient disclosures, and mandating certified technologists to comply within 60 days of the rules taking effect. The bill also establishes definitions for ART and certified technologists across multiple health licensing chapters.
SB 1389 prohibits healthcare providers participating in Tennessee's TennCare or CoverKids programs from refusing to treat patients solely because they decline vaccines or immunizations. It requires the state to stop reimbursing providers who violate this rule and mandates the TennCare director to create implementing regulations. The law excludes oncology and organ transplant specialists from the prohibition. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, with rules to be established under state administrative procedures.
HB 372, the "Tennessee Medicaid Modernization and Access Act of 2025," aligns TennCare’s reimbursement rates for key healthcare services - obstetrics/gynecology, primary care, outpatient mental health, and substance use disorder treatment - with either the Medicare fee schedule or average commercial rates in Tennessee, whichever is higher. This change directly affects healthcare providers who serve Medicaid patients and Medicaid beneficiaries, particularly in rural and underserved areas, by ensuring providers receive fairer compensation. The bill requires annual reviews to update rates based on Medicare or commercial benchmarks and mandates new annual reports on fiscal impacts and access improvements. It does not automatically appropriate funds but requires future budget allocations to cover implementation costs.
HB 867 creates a pilot program for pregnant TennCare recipients with hypertension or diabetes, using remote patient monitoring to improve maternal health outcomes. The program requires technology vendors to provide devices that track blood pressure, glucose, and other health data, deliver devices directly to participants, and train them on use - ensuring functionality without broadband access. A nursing team and healthcare provider must monitor data, provide health coaching, and establish emergency protocols. The pilot aims to serve at least 300 participants across selected counties and must launch within 180 days of vendor contracts. The bill is currently pending review by the Finance, Ways, and Means Committee.
HB 225 replaces Tennessee’s "Tennessee Community Schools Act" with the "Tennessee Full Service Community Schools Act." It requires local school districts to partner with community organizations to create schools offering integrated services like academic support, health care, and family resources - directly affecting public schools, students, families, and community partners. The bill establishes a grant program administered by the University of Tennessee starting in 2026, funding partnerships that develop long-term operational models through formal agreements with community groups. Schools receiving grants must coordinate services through stakeholder committees and conduct community needs assessments to align support with student and family requirements.
HB 179 modifies Tennessee's criminal abortion law by adding exceptions that exempt certain abortions from criminal prosecution. It specifies that performing an abortion is not a crime if it is necessary to protect the pregnant person's physical or mental health, or if the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest (as defined in Tennessee law). The bill amends Title 39, Chapter 15 of Tennessee Code, reclassifying such abortions as non-criminal under these specific circumstances. This change takes effect July 1, 2025, directly affecting licensed physicians performing abortions and pregnant individuals in these defined situations.
House Joint Resolution 91 is a symbolic resolution expressing the Tennessee General Assembly's support for the SREB Crisis Recovery Network. It directly supports Tennessee schools, districts, and postsecondary institutions by endorsing a regional network that provides long-term, specialized counseling services after crises like natural disasters, school shootings, or public emergencies. The resolution recognizes that schools often lack sustained mental health resources, especially in rural areas, and highlights the network’s role in deploying trained counselors to aid recovery for students, teachers, and communities over extended periods. This is a non-binding statement of support, not a law imposing new requirements.
HB 310 creates a legal presumption that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnosed in law enforcement officers or emergency medical responders (like EMTs and paramedics) was incurred while performing job duties, making it automatically eligible for workers' compensation coverage. This applies to those diagnosed after responding to specific incidents, shifting the burden to employers to prove otherwise. The bill amends Tennessee workers' compensation laws (TCA Title 7, Chapter 51 and Title 50, Chapter 6) to explicitly include these professions under the presumption, removing prior exclusions of "firefighter" language. It directly affects first responders who develop PTSD in the line of duty, streamlining their access to benefits starting July 1, 2025.
HB 782 creates a new pilot PACE (Programs of All-Inclusive Care for Elderly) program in one Tennessee grand division without an existing PACE program as of 2024, while allowing current PACE providers in counties with a 2020 census population of 366,200-366,300 to expand into contiguous counties meeting specific population thresholds (12,700-12,800, 32,800-32,875, or 108,600-108,700). It requires applicants to submit service area maps, market analyses proving unmet need, and CMS compliance certifications, and mandates annual reports to legislative leaders. The bill directly affects elderly Tennesseans eligible for PACE care (meeting federal CMS criteria) and PACE providers seeking to expand services. It became effective May 21, 2025, after Governor approval.
HB 717 creates the "Caring for Caregivers Act," establishing a pilot program that provides financial grants to family caregivers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease or related dementia. It directly affects caregivers who provide unpaid care to eligible family members living in private homes (not facilities) and incur eligible expenses like home modifications, medical equipment, or respite care. The program offers up to $6,000 annually per caregiver, with eligibility based on household income not exceeding $37,000 (adjusted annually for inflation) and requiring the care recipient to need assistance with at least two activities of daily living. The pilot runs from July 2025 through December 2028, funded through initial appropriations and dedicated state funds.
