HB 1984 expands access to buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder by allowing more healthcare providers to directly administer buprenorphine mono or buprenorphine without naloxone, as long as they act within their scope of practice. It specifically permits prescribing these medications to nursing mothers and patients with documented adverse reactions to naloxone, and clarifies that prescribing injectable forms doesn’t restrict providers from later prescribing non-naloxone buprenorphine. The bill amends Tennessee’s pharmacy law (TCA Title 53, Chapter 11) to remove barriers for these specific scenarios. This directly affects healthcare providers (like nurse practitioners or physician assistants) and patients seeking opioid treatment, particularly nursing mothers and those with allergies to naloxone.
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.
SB 402 prohibits healthcare providers from reporting a patient's medical debt to credit bureaus and bans credit bureaus from including medical debt in consumer credit reports. It directly affects patients (preventing medical debt from damaging credit scores), healthcare providers (who can no longer report such debt to bureaus), and credit bureaus (which must remove existing medical debt records). The law takes effect July 1, 2025, covering all medical debt from healthcare services, though providers may still report to debt collectors. Violations are enforced under Tennessee's Consumer Protection Act, with remedies available through the Attorney General's office.
HB 783 authorizes Tennessee local governments (counties, cities, or metropolitan areas) to regulate sober living homes - residences for adults recovering from substance abuse without formal treatment - to ensure they comply with federal fair housing and disability laws. Key provisions include requiring these homes to be at least 1,000 feet from schools/daycares, allowing local zoning rules, and mandating clinical referrals from licensed healthcare providers before residency. The law directly affects sober living home operators, residents, and local governments implementing these rules. It becomes effective immediately upon the governor’s signature (May 21, 2025), updating Tennessee housing codes to balance local oversight with federal civil rights protections.
HB 641, the "Savannah Grace Copeland Act," requires Tennessee to increase funding for child advocacy centers whenever state funding for child protective services grows. Specifically, it mandates that 75% of any increase in child protective services funding must be allocated to child advocacy center contracts starting July 2026. The bill sets specific base funding amounts: $127,855.98 for full centers and $85,000 per forensic interviewer. These centers, which serve over 32,000 children annually with services like forensic interviews and mental health support, directly benefit from this policy change. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, but requires separate annual appropriations to implement the funding adjustments.
HB 1089 requires courts to order mental health evaluations for defendants convicted of specific abuse-related crimes - including domestic assault, child abuse, aggravated child abuse, or cruelty to animals - before sentencing. The law directs Tennessee's Department of Mental Health to create a process where community mental health centers or qualified professionals conduct these evaluations. It directly affects defendants in these cases and the state's mental health evaluation system, adding a pre-sentencing step to assess potential mental health factors. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 39-14-202 and related titles to implement this requirement, effective May 21, 2025.
HB 411, known as "Lucca's Law," requires Tennessee's TennCare program to cover medically necessary treatments for children with PANDAS (pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections) and PANS (pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome). It mandates that all TennCare-managed care organizations (MCOs) provide coverage for specific treatments - including antibiotics, behavioral therapy, immunomodulating medicines, plasma exchange, and IVIG therapy - without higher co-pays or delays, and prohibits denial based on prior treatment or diagnosis changes. The law also requires MCOs to use "autoimmune encephalitis" coding for billing until specific PANDAS/PANS codes are established. This directly affects pediatric patients with these conditions and their families, ensuring consistent access to covered care under TennCare.
HB 858 requires Tennessee's insurance commissioner to study how easily patients and doctors can request exceptions to step therapy rules online. The study will assess whether insurers' processes are accessible without unnecessary barriers for those seeking coverage for cancer treatments. The commissioner must submit findings and recommendations by December 2025. This bill affects insurers and healthcare providers who handle step therapy requests but does not change current coverage requirements. It becomes effective January 1, 2026.
HB 979 establishes a new licensure process for anesthesiologist assistants in Tennessee, directly affecting these healthcare professionals and hospitals that employ them. The bill amends Tennessee Code Sections 63-1-160(g) and related provisions in Titles 47, 63, and 68, removing restrictions that previously limited hospitals from employing certain licensed physicians for specific medical services. This change updates hospital staffing rules to align with current healthcare practices. The law became effective on July 1, 2025, following the Governor's signature on May 21, 2025.
