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TennesseeSB 0282114th General Assembly (2025-2026)SenateWALLET

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 53 and Title 63, relative to medical treatment.

Sponsored By: Bo Watson (Republican)

Became Law

Health Care

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Access to custom experimental treatments

Beginning July 1, 2025, the law creates a path for eligible patients to seek individualized investigational drugs, biologics, or devices made just for them. You must have a life‑threatening or severely debilitating illness, review FDA‑approved options with your doctor, get a doctor’s recommendation, and sign written consent. Manufacturers and eligible facilities may offer a treatment but do not have to. They may require you to pay for the treatment or its manufacture, or provide it for free. Health plans and government payers are not required to cover these costs, and hospitals or providers are not required to provide services unless they approve your request. The consent must identify the treatment, explain approved options and likely best and worst outcomes (including serious risks and that approved options are unlikely to prolong life), include a liability release, warn hospice eligibility may change, and state you are responsible for expenses (and possibly your estate unless a contract says otherwise). For a minor, a parent or guardian may sign.

Legal shields and heirs debt protection

If a patient dies while receiving an individualized investigational treatment, the patient’s heirs do not owe any treatment‑related debt or losses from any lack of insurance caused by the treatment. The law also does not create a private right to sue manufacturers or others for harm when they acted in good faith and used reasonable care. These rules take effect July 1, 2025.

Clinical trial coverage stays the same

The law does not change required health plan coverage for clinical trial participation under Tennessee law. Those protections remain in place starting July 1, 2025.

Protections for doctors and patient access

Beginning July 1, 2025, licensing boards and Medicare certifiers cannot punish a provider just for recommending or discussing an individualized investigational treatment. State officials, employees, or agents may not block an eligible patient’s access to these treatments. Providers who give standard medical counseling are not violating this rule.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Bo Watson

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Janice Bowling

    Republican • Senate

  • Rusty Crowe

    Republican • Senate

  • Joey Hensley

    Republican • Senate

  • Becky Duncan Massey

    Republican • Senate

  • Shane Reeves

    Republican • Senate

  • Paul Rose

    Republican • Senate

  • John Stevens

    Republican • Senate

  • Page Walley

    Republican • Senate

  • Ken Yager

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 121 • No: 7

House vote • 3/6/2025

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/6/2025

Yes: 85 • No: 5

Senate vote • 3/6/2025

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/6/2025

Yes: 28 • No: 1

Senate vote • 2/26/2025

SENATE HEALTH AND WELFARE COMMITTEE

Yes: 8 • No: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Pub. Ch. 45

    3/28/2025

  2. Effective date(s) 07/01/2025

    3/28/2025

  3. Signed by Governor.

    3/20/2025Senate

  4. Transmitted to Governor for action.

    3/12/2025Senate

  5. Signed by H. Speaker

    3/11/2025House

  6. Signed by Senate Speaker

    3/10/2025Senate

  7. Enrolled and ready for signatures

    3/7/2025Senate

  8. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0021)

    3/6/2025Senate

  9. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 28, Nays 1, PNV 1

    3/6/2025Senate

  10. Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

    3/6/2025Senate

  11. Subst. for comp. HB.

    3/6/2025House

  12. Passed H., Ayes 85, Nays 5, PNV 3

    3/6/2025House

  13. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/6/2025Senate

  14. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/6/2025

    3/4/2025Senate

  15. Sponsor(s) Added.

    3/3/2025Senate

  16. Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 0

    2/26/2025Senate

  17. Sponsor(s) Added.

    2/26/2025Senate

  18. Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 2/26/2025

    2/19/2025Senate

  19. Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee

    2/10/2025Senate

  20. Sponsor(s) Added.

    2/10/2025Senate

  21. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

    1/27/2025Senate

  22. Filed for introduction

    1/24/2025Senate

Bill Text

  • Enrolled / Public Chapter

    PDF

  • Fiscal Note

    PDF

  • Introduced

    PDF

  • SA0021

    PDF

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