Healthcare (Medical Licensing)

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 10, 2026

SB 2476: Health Care - As introduced, exempts a nurse who provides home health services to four or less patients from hiring staff or maintaining an office in order to qualify for licensure as a home care organization by the health facilities commission; requires a nurse who does not hire staff or maintain an office to submit a request to the department of health for space at a location deemed appropriate by the department to securely store patient records. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

SB 2476 exempts registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants who provide home health services to four or fewer patients from needing to hire staff or maintain an office to qualify for home care organization licensure. Instead, these nurses must request secure record storage space from the Tennessee Department of Health, which is required to provide it upon request. The bill directly affects small-scale home health care providers who serve limited patient volumes. It amends Tennessee Code Titles 63 and 68 to implement this licensing change, effective July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExempts small home health nurses from office/staff requirements, reducing barriers to licensure and improving patient access to home care services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Long-Term Care Medical Licensing

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in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 18, 2026

HB 2555: Medical Occupations - As introduced, reduces from 45 to 35 days, the amount of time the board of physician assistants has to either render a decision on a licensure application submitted by an individual licensed, registered, or certified as a physician assistant in another jurisdiction or inform the licensure applicant from another jurisdiction of the need to appear before the board. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 7; Title 24; Title 33; Title 38; Title 49; Title 53; Title 55; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68; Title 71 and Chapter 1042 of the Public Acts of 2024.

HB 2555 shortens the timeline for Tennessee's Board of Physician Assistants to process license applications from out-of-state applicants. It reduces the processing deadline from 45 to 35 days for decisions or requests for additional information. This change directly affects physician assistants licensed in other states seeking to practice in Tennessee. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, applying to applications submitted on or after that date.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill shortens licensing timeline for physician assistants, facilitating faster entry of qualified medical professionals into Tennessee, improving patient access to care.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing Tags Licensing

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introduced · Tennessee · House Mar 2, 2026

HB 2295: Health, Dept. of - As introduced, directs the department to submit a report on the feasibility of creating and implementing a graduate physician licensure program that would allow a person who has graduated from an allopathic medical school and passed the United States Medical Licensing Examination, but who has not completed an accredited postgraduate residency program, to provide medical services within a framework of a continuous collaboration and supervision agreement with a licensed physician to the chair of the health and welfare committee of the senate and the chair of the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over health-related matters on or before January 1, 2027. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

HB 2295 requires Tennessee's Department of Health to study creating a program allowing doctors who graduated from medical school and passed the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam (but haven't completed residency) to provide care under supervision. The report must assess the feasibility of this "graduate physician licensure program" by January 1, 2027, detailing how such physicians could work within a continuous supervision agreement with licensed doctors. It directly affects physicians without accredited residency training who wish to practice in Tennessee. The bill mandates this study to inform future legislative decisions, but does not create the program or change current licensure requirements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill requires study of program enabling non-residency physicians to practice under supervision, aiming to expand healthcare access and provider availability through feasibility assessment.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

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signed · Tennessee · House May 26, 2026

HB 2246: Health Care - As enacted, authorizes a physician to perform stem cell therapy or regenerative medicine therapy that is not approved by the United States food and drug administration if such therapy is used for a treatment or procedure that is within the scope of practice of the physician; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

HB 2246 regulates stem cell therapies in Tennessee by requiring physicians performing such treatments (for orthopedics, wound care, or pain management) to source stem cells only from facilities registered with the FDA and accredited by specific organizations like the National Marrow Donor Program. The bill mandates that facilities provide detailed accreditation documentation to physicians and include a post-thaw viability report for each cell batch. Physicians must also disclose in all advertisements that the therapy is not FDA-approved and encourage patients to consult their primary care provider. The law explicitly excludes stem cell therapies derived from fetal or embryonic sources.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRegulates stem cell therapy with FDA/accreditation requirements to ensure safety and efficacy, protecting patient rights and treatment standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing Primary Care

failed · Tennessee · House Mar 4, 2026

HB 2088: Health Care - As introduced, exempts a nurse who provides home health services to four or less patients from hiring staff or maintaining an office in order to qualify for licensure as a home care organization by the health facilities commission; requires a nurse who does not hire staff or maintain an office to submit a request to the department of health for space at a location deemed appropriate by the department to securely store patient records. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

HB 2088 allows nurses providing home health services to four or fewer patients to qualify for home care organization licensure without needing to hire staff or maintain an office. Instead, these nurses must request secure, department-approved space from the Tennessee Department of Health to store patient records. The bill specifically applies to licensed registered nurses, practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants working with limited patients. It amends Tennessee law (Titles 63 and 68) and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareReduces regulatory barriers for home health nurses, allowing service to 4+ patients without office/staff requirements, improving access to care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Long-Term Care Medical Licensing

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 20, 2026

SB 2399: Health Care - As introduced, redefines a licensed professional counselor as a limited practice professional counselor; redefines a licensed professional counselor with a designation as a mental health service provider as a licensed professional counselor; terminates the issuance of limited practice professional counselor licenses on July 1, 2028. - Amends TCA Title 8; Title 33; Title 36; Title 49; Title 52; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68.

SB 2399 redefines Tennessee's counseling licensure categories by creating a new "limited practice professional counselor" designation and eliminating the separate license for this category. The bill amends multiple Tennessee Code sections to update terminology, requiring all future applications for this specific license type to meet new standards (including coursework in mental disorder diagnosis and two years of supervised clinical experience). It terminates the issuance of "limited practice professional counselor" licenses effective July 1, 2028, and mandates that existing holders of this license must convert to a "licensed professional counselor" by that date. The bill directly affects counseling professionals seeking licensure or currently holding the limited practice designation under Tennessee law.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill tightens counseling licensure standards with mandatory diagnosis coursework and supervision, improving mental health service quality per updated licensing requirements.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing Mental Health Tags Licensing

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in committee · Tennessee · House May 18, 2026

HB 2571: Physicians and Surgeons - As enacted, requires the board of medical examiners to issue a provisional foreign training license of two years, which may be extended for an additional one year, to an internationally trained physician who has successfully completed the examination described in current law upon finding sufficient evidence that the internationally trained physician has met certain listed criteria; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 63.

HB 2571 creates a two-year provisional license for internationally trained physicians in Tennessee who pass required exams and meet specific criteria, including holding an ECFMG certificate and completing postgraduate training. The license requires employment at approved facilities like federally qualified health centers or rural clinics with onsite supervising physicians. After two years of satisfactory practice at these approved sites, physicians may qualify for a full medical license upon demonstrating competency and passing USMLE steps. This bill directly affects foreign-trained doctors seeking to practice in Tennessee while establishing clear pathways for supervised training and licensure.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables internationally trained physicians to practice in rural clinics and FQHCs, expanding access to healthcare services in underserved areas with specific licensing requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medical Licensing

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signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 2358: Podiatrists - As enacted, changes the scope of practice of a podiatrist from a person who examines, diagnoses, or treats, in addition to the ailments of the human foot and ankle, the soft tissue of the lower leg distal to the tibial tuberosity, instead of the soft tissue structures extending no higher than the distal tibial metaphyseal flair. - Amends TCA Title 63.

SB 2358 amends Tennessee law to adjust the scope of practice for podiatrists by changing the anatomical boundary of the lower leg they can treat. The bill replaces the current limit - "soft tissue structures extending no higher than the distal tibial metaphyseal flair" - with "the soft tissue of the lower leg below the tibial tuberosity." This change directly affects podiatrists in Tennessee by expanding the area they are legally permitted to treat without additional authorization. The amendment updates Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, to reflect this adjustment in medical practice boundaries.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands podiatrist scope of practice, improving patient access to foot/ankle care without additional authorization, aligning with healthcare access enhancement.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Mar 18, 2026

SB 2667: Health, Dept. of - As introduced, directs the department to submit a report on the feasibility of creating and implementing a graduate physician licensure program that would allow a person who has graduated from an allopathic medical school and passed the United States Medical Licensing Examination, but who has not completed an accredited postgraduate residency program, to provide medical services within a framework of a continuous collaboration and supervision agreement with a licensed physician to the chair of the health and welfare committee of the senate and the chair of the committee of the house of representatives having jurisdiction over health-related matters on or before January 1, 2027. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

SB 2667 requires Tennessee's Department of Health to study whether to create a licensure program for physicians who have graduated from medical school, passed the U.S. Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE), but haven't completed residency training. The report, due by January 1, 2027, would examine if such physicians could practice medicine under a formal supervision agreement with a licensed doctor. This would directly affect medical graduates without residency who seek to provide care in Tennessee. The bill does not create the program but directs a feasibility study to inform future policy decisions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill studies feasibility of licensure for physicians without residency to practice under supervision, aiming to improve access to care by expanding provider availability in healthcare services.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing

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in committee · Tennessee · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 2586: Health Care - As enacted, authorizes a physician to perform stem cell therapy or regenerative medicine therapy that is not approved by the United States food and drug administration if such therapy is used for a treatment or procedure that is within the scope of practice of the physician; makes related changes. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

SB 2586 establishes new regulations for stem cell therapies in Tennessee, directly affecting physicians and facilities providing these treatments. It requires stem cells used in therapy to be retrieved, manufactured, and stored only in facilities registered with the FDA and accredited by specific organizations like the American Association of Tissue Banks. The bill mandates that physicians disclose in advertisements that the therapy is not FDA-approved and must use products meeting federal manufacturing standards. It explicitly excludes therapies using cells derived from fetuses or embryos after abortion. The law aims to ensure safety through facility accreditation, viability testing, and clear patient disclosures.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires FDA compliance and disclosure for stem cell therapies, protecting patients from unapproved treatments and ensuring safety standards in healthcare delivery.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing Women's Health

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