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.
HB 482 adds prostate cancer, breast cancer, and pancreatic cancer to the list of conditions for which Tennessee firefighters automatically qualify for compensation (a "presumption") if diagnosed, unless medical evidence proves the cancer existed before employment. It directly affects full-time Tennessee firefighters diagnosed with these cancers after July 1, 2025. The key provision requires firefighters seeking this presumption to obtain a cancer screening exam after July 1, 2025, showing no prior evidence of these cancers. This bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 7-51-201 to expand the presumption list and establish the pre-screening requirement.
HB 865 changes Tennessee nursing education rules to make practical nursing programs more accessible. It requires the Board of Nursing to allow students who meet high school diploma or equivalent standards to enroll in public college practical nursing programs. The bill also mandates that students completing these programs can take the national NCLEX-PN licensing exam immediately after graduation, without additional requirements. Additionally, it sets a minimum of 1,296 clock hours for program completion and allows early high school access to nursing curricula. This law, effective July 1, 2025, directly affects students pursuing practical nursing licenses at Tennessee public institutions.
HB 1244 requires pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs) in Tennessee to pay pharmacies for prescription claims within 30 days for paper submissions and 14 days for electronic submissions if the claim is "clean" (complete, error-free, and without missing documentation). The bill removes previous caps on aggregate penalties for PBMs that fail to meet these payment deadlines, imposing tiered fines up to $200,000 for failing to process 60% of clean claims annually. It also mandates 1% monthly interest on overdue payments and defines key terms like "clean claim" to standardize processing requirements. This directly affects PBMs and pharmacists, ensuring faster reimbursement for prescription services under Tennessee’s insurance laws.
HB 296 requires Tennessee health insurance plans to cover speech therapy for stuttering without annual limits, prior authorization, or restrictions based on the type of stuttering. It applies to all health benefit plans that renew or issue policies on or after July 1, 2025, directly affecting insurance companies and policyholders seeking speech therapy services. The law mandates coverage for both habilitative and rehabilitative speech therapy services, including telehealth options, without visit limits or medical necessity requirements. This implementation follows requirements originally proposed in Senate Bill 231 of the 114th General Assembly.
SB 1241 expands Tennessee's definition of child abuse to include children under 18 who witness another child being abused in their household or domestic violence against a family member in their home. This change directly affects minors in households experiencing abuse, as it now classifies their exposure as abuse under state law. The bill also requires that children placed in foster care due to abuse cannot be reunited with parents unless the parent follows their court-ordered plan and the child receives mental health counseling. These provisions apply to cases handled under Tennessee's child welfare system, specifically in Title 37 (child protective services) and related statutes.
