All Roll Calls
Yes: 285 • No: 22
TennesseeHB 0979114th General Assembly (2025-2026)HouseWALLET
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 47; Title 63 and Title 68, relative to health care.
Sponsored By: Sponsor information unavailable
Signed by Governor
Health Care
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Stronger patient protections for hospital care
Beginning July 1, 2025, covered hospitals and affiliates cannot interfere with employed doctors' medically appropriate tests or treatment decisions. Referral limits require the doctor's written agreement to the exact limit when signing the contract. The doctor must reasonably judge that the limit will not harm the patient's health or welfare. Patients must be told about the limit. The hospital or affiliate bears the burden of proof in a dispute.
Hospital hiring limits with specialty exceptions
Beginning July 1, 2025, Tennessee hospitals and affiliates can employ licensed doctors in counties with 105,000 or fewer people. Population counts use the 2020 federal census. In larger counties, they generally cannot employ radiologists, anesthesiologists, pathologists, or emergency physicians. A free-standing children's hospital can employ these specialists if they are board certified or board eligible. It must mainly serve children age 17 or younger and have a separate emergency department staffed and equipped for children. Research hospitals can employ radiologists, anesthesiologists, and pathologists on the same terms as other doctors. At least 50% of their inpatients must have received care under research protocols during the prior calendar year. Emergency physicians can provide emergency care if also employed to provide other medical services. Related limits cover osteopathic doctors in the same specialties, except where Tennessee Code § 63-6-204(f)(4) permits employment.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
There is no primary sponsor on record.
Cosponsors
T.J. Hardaway
Democrat • House
Antonio Parkinson
Democrat • House
Rick Scarbrough
Republican • House
White
Affiliation unavailable
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 4/22/2025
FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR MOTION TO ADOPT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT 4/22/2025
Yes: 79 • No: 10
Senate vote • 4/22/2025
FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Conference Committee Report 4/22/2025
Yes: 31 • No: 0
Senate vote • 4/21/2025
FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/21/2025
Yes: 31 • No: 1
House vote • 4/16/2025
FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2025
Yes: 72 • No: 5
House vote • 4/16/2025
HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE
Yes: 0 • No: 0
House vote • 4/15/2025
HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE
Yes: 23 • No: 3
House vote • 4/14/2025
HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE
Yes: 11 • No: 0
House vote • 4/7/2025
HOUSE GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
Yes: 11 • No: 1
House vote • 4/1/2025
HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEE
Yes: 21 • No: 1
House vote • 3/19/2025
HOUSE HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE
Yes: 6 • No: 1
Actions Timeline
Effective date(s) 05/21/2025, 07/01/2025, 01/01/2026
5/27/2025Pub. Ch. 509
5/27/2025Signed by Governor.
5/21/2025Transmitted to Governor for his action.
5/9/2025HouseSigned by Senate Speaker
5/8/2025SenateSigned by H. Speaker
4/30/2025HouseEnrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.
4/25/2025HouseConference Committee report adopted, Ayes 31, Nays 0
4/22/2025SenateConf. comm. report adopted, Ayes 79, Nays 10 PNV 6
4/22/2025HouseConference Committee appointed.
4/22/2025SenateConference Committee appointed (Williams, Terry, Farmer, B. Martin, Shaw)
4/22/2025SenateH. refused to recede from its non-concurrence in SA 1 & 2
4/22/2025HouseH. Placed on Message Calendar 4 for 4/22/2025
4/22/2025HouseSenate refused to recede from its non-concurrence in House Amendments 1 & 2
4/22/2025SenateSponsor(s) Added.
4/22/2025HouseH. nonconcurred in S. am. no. 1 & 2 HB0979
4/22/2025HouseH. Placed on Message Calendar 3 for 4/22/2025
4/22/2025HousePassed Senate as amended, Ayes 31, Nays 1, PNV 1
4/21/2025SenateSenate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0317)
4/21/2025SenateSenate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0264)
4/21/2025SenateSenate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.
4/21/2025SenateReceived from House, Passed on First Consideration
4/17/2025SenateEngrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.
4/16/2025HousePassed H., as am., Ayes 72, Nays 5, PNV 11
4/16/2025HouseSponsor(s) Added.
4/16/2025House
Bill Text
HA0248 (Substitute)
4/16/2025
Enrolled / Public Chapter
Fiscal Note
Introduced
SA0264
SA0317
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