Healthcare

signed · Tennessee · House Mar 31, 2025

HB 383: Infectious Diseases - As enacted, directs the commissioner of health to, on or before July 1, 2025, add alpha-gal syndrome to the department of health's published list of reportable diseases and conditions, the occurrence of which must be reported to the department by a healthcare provider pursuant to existing administrative rule. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 63 and Title 68.

HB 383 requires Tennessee's health commissioner to add alpha-gal syndrome - a rare meat allergy triggered by tick bites - to the state's official list of reportable diseases by July 1, 2025. Healthcare providers must then report diagnosed cases to the Department of Health under existing rules. This bill directly affects medical professionals who will need to submit these reports and public health officials who will track the condition. The law amends Tennessee Code Titles 4, 63, and 68 to implement this change, effective March 26, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates adding alpha-gal syndrome to reportable diseases for public health tracking, strengthening disease surveillance and reporting requirements under healthcare policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 15, 2026

HB 7: Education, Higher - As introduced, establishes the hunger-free campus grant program; provides grants to higher education institutions to address student hunger. - Amends TCA Title 49.

HB 7 creates a state grant program to help Tennessee colleges and universities address student hunger. It requires participating institutions (including public universities like the University of Tennessee and accredited private schools) to establish a student-inclusive hunger task force, operate or partner with a campus food pantry, and use grant funds for meal programs or pantry support. Institutions receiving grants must also report annually on their efforts to reduce food insecurity and share data about student needs. The program, administered by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, depends on future legislative funding appropriations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill establishes state grants for higher ed institutions to address student hunger via food pantries/task forces, directly funding student support programs to improve educational access and outcomes.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill funds campus food programs to address student hunger, a public health issue, reducing food insecurity and improving health outcomes through public health initiatives.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Health

Track

signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 30, 2025

SB 1178: Disability and Aging, Dept. Of - As enacted, directs the commissioner and the director of TennCare to develop guidelines for service providers for hiring qualified family members as a family caregiver; specifies that the department and the bureau of TennCare shall not prohibit qualified individuals from employment as a family caregiver at a service provider agency based on certain listed criteria. - Amends TCA Title 52 and Title 71.

SB 1178 requires Tennessee's Department of Disability and Aging and TennCare to create guidelines enabling family members to work as caregivers for people with disabilities. It prohibits Medicaid service providers from denying employment to qualified family caregivers based on factors like family relationship, residence, age, or guardianship status. The bill also prevents providers from reducing benefits for individuals with disabilities solely because their caregiver is a family member. These changes ensure family caregivers can work without discrimination under Tennessee's Medicaid programs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires TennCare to enable family caregivers as service providers, prevents benefit reductions for disabled individuals with family caregivers, and expands access to disability healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentPrevents employment discrimination against family caregivers by prohibiting denial based on family relationship, residence, or guardianship, strengthening workers' rights in caregiving roles.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid

in committee · Tennessee · Senate Apr 22, 2025

SB 138: TennCare - As introduced, requires the bureau to reimburse a public or private air ambulance service that bills for transports and has a base of operations in this state that provides a covered emergency or nonemergency service to a TennCare recipient at a rate not less than 67.5 percent of the federal medicare program's allowable charge for participating providers. - Amends TCA Title 68 and Title 71.

SB 138 requires the TennCare program to reimburse air ambulance services operating within Tennessee at a rate of at least 67.5% of the federal Medicare program's standard rate for participating providers. This directly affects public and private air ambulance companies with a Tennessee base that provide covered emergency or nonemergency transports to TennCare recipients. The bill mandates this reimbursement rate for all covered services, applying to transports occurring on or after the law's effective date. It amends Tennessee Code Sections 71-5-165 (Title 71) and related provisions in Title 68.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates 67.5% Medicare-rate reimbursement for air ambulances serving TennCare recipients, ensuring continued access to emergency/nonemergency transport services and protecting provider funding.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 225: Local Education Agencies - As introduced, repeals the "Tennessee Community Schools Act"; enacts the "Tennessee Full Service Community Schools Act." - Amends TCA Title 49.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationReplaces outdated act with new framework requiring school-community partnerships for integrated student services and establishes grant funding program, directly expanding educational support access.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates school districts to integrate health care services via community partnerships and funds through a grant program, directly advancing healthcare access for students/families.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Funding Student Health

Track

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 29, 2025

HB 1139: Water - As enacted, clarifies that if a point-of-entry treatment device is installed in a facility solely to soften hard water and, because of the installation of such a device, the house, building, or complex of buildings meets the definition of a public water system under the Tennessee Safe Drinking Water Act of 1983, then the facility constitutes a consecutive system, and is required to monitor the influent and finished water for hardness, alkalinity, and pH on a quarterly basis, and sodium on an annual basis, and report the results to the department of environment and conservation within 15 days of the end of the reporting period. - Amends TCA Title 68.

HB 1139 clarifies monitoring requirements for facilities that install water softening systems. If such a system causes a facility to meet Tennessee's definition of a public water system under the Safe Drinking Water Act, the facility must test water hardness, alkalinity, and pH quarterly, and sodium annually. Results must be reported to the Department of Environment and Conservation within 15 days of each reporting period. The bill specifically excludes facilities that only install softeners from being classified as public water systems, but if they meet the definition due to the softener, they must comply with these testing rules.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates quarterly/annual water quality testing (hardness, alkalinity, pH, sodium) and reporting for facilities meeting public water system standards, strengthening environmental monitoring under Safe Drinking Water Act.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates water quality monitoring under Safe Drinking Water Act, supporting public health programs within healthcare topic.70% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation Drinking Water

Track

signed · Tennessee · Senate Mar 28, 2025

SB 1283: Public Health - As enacted, adds as a disease for which a laboratory must test during a standard serological test of a pregnant woman hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) with automatic reflex to HCV RNA if anti-HCV is reactive, and makes certain other changes to the process of conducting required pregnancy serological tests. - Amends TCA Section 68-5-602.

This bill adds hepatitis C antibody (anti-HCV) testing to the standard blood screening required for all pregnant women in Tennessee during initial prenatal visits and between weeks 28-32 of pregnancy. If the anti-HCV test is reactive, labs must automatically conduct a follow-up HCV RNA test without requiring additional orders. It directly affects all pregnant women receiving routine prenatal care in Tennessee, expanding the required screening panel to include hepatitis C alongside existing tests for syphilis, rubella, and hepatitis B. The changes take effect July 1, 2025, and align hepatitis C testing protocols with existing disease reporting requirements for maternal health.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands mandatory prenatal screening to include hepatitis C antibody testing, enabling early detection and treatment, strengthening public health prevention efforts for pregnant women.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health Women's Health

signed · Tennessee · Senate Apr 29, 2025

SB 940: Alcoholic Beverages - As enacted, expands the immunity from prosecution when seeking medical assistance for a person experiencing, or believed to be experiencing, an overdose to include alcohol-related offenses; clarifies that overdose includes both drugs and alcohol. - Amends TCA Title 63.

SB 940 expands Tennessee's "Good Samaritan" law to include alcohol-related overdoses, allowing people to seek medical help for alcohol poisoning without facing prosecution for alcohol violations. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 63 by updating definitions to replace "drug overdose" with "overdose" and "drug violation" with "drug or alcohol violation" throughout the law. This change directly affects individuals experiencing or witnessing alcohol overdoses, as well as those providing emergency assistance. The policy removes legal barriers to calling for help during alcohol-related medical emergencies, treating alcohol and drug overdoses equally under the immunity provision. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Good Samaritan immunity to alcohol overdoses, removing legal barriers to seek medical help and improving emergency healthcare access for overdose cases.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

in committee · Tennessee · House Apr 16, 2025

HB 1280: Public Funds and Financing - As introduced, creates the medical expense relief fund to assist the next of kin and the estate of a decedent who was enrolled in TennCare at the time of death with paying the decedent's medical debt and expenses; requires the department of human services to administer the fund and the awarding of grants. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 3; Title 9 and Title 71.

HB 1280 creates a $250 million "medical expense relief fund" within Tennessee's general fund to help the next of kin or estate of a decedent who was enrolled in TennCare at the time of death pay their unpaid medical debt and expenses. The Department of Human Services would administer the fund, setting application procedures, eligibility criteria (considering debt amount and need), and determining whether grants go to next of kin, the estate, or directly to creditors. Funds would be used solely for covering the decedent's medical costs, including unpaid TennCare benefits or premiums. The bill requires DHS to establish reporting mechanisms and submit annual reports to legislative committees, but it does not appropriate funds until the state budget act includes specific funding.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates $250M fund within general fund for medical debt relief, funding essential public service program under Public Funds subject.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates $250M medical expense relief fund for TennCare decedents' unpaid medical debts, directly funding healthcare cost relief for vulnerable populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget

Track

signed · Tennessee · House May 8, 2025

HB 760: Drugs, Prescription - As enacted, authorizes a healthcare practitioner to prescribe and a pharmacist to dispense a prescribed, bronchodilator rescue inhaler to an authorized entity to be administered to a person believed to be experiencing asthma symptoms or respiratory distress in an emergency situation, under a standing protocol from the healthcare practitioner; encourages schools in LEAs and public charter schools to keep bronchodilator rescue inhalers to be administered to students believed to be having asthma symptoms or in respiratory distress in an emergency situation. - Amends TCA Title 49; Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68.

HB 760 authorizes healthcare providers to prescribe bronchodilator rescue inhalers to specific "authorized entities" (like schools, childcare centers, restaurants, and sports venues) for emergency use during asthma or respiratory distress episodes. It requires these entities to store inhalers in accessible, unlocked locations and train designated staff to administer them under pre-approved protocols. The bill also encourages all public schools and charter schools to maintain at least two inhalers in secure, accessible locations (e.g., offices or nurse’s stations) for student emergencies. Crucially, it provides legal protection for staff and entities who follow the protocols, shielding them from liability unless there was intentional disregard for safety. The law became effective May 2, 2025, after Governor’s signature.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAuthorizes emergency access to asthma treatment in schools/public venues, improving patient access and public health readiness for respiratory emergencies.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce