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HB0164 • 2026

Professions and Occupations

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and Title 63, relative to professions.

Education Healthcare
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Marsh, Bailey
Last action
2025-05-13
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 304
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not specify exact dates or impacts on specific numbers of professionals.

Changes to Animal Chiropractic Rules

This bill modifies regulations related to animal chiropractic in Tennessee by changing rule-making processes and clarifying certification requirements for veterinarians.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the requirement that the board of veterinary medical examiners regulate the performance of animal chiropractic.
  • Clarifies that a person licensed to practice veterinary medicine can advertise their ability to provide animal chiropractic if they hold a current certification from the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association or the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Chiropractors in Tennessee
  • Veterinarians in Tennessee

Terms To Know

Animal Chiropractic
The practice of using chiropractic techniques on animals to improve their health and mobility.
Board of Chiropractic Examiners
A group that oversees the licensing and regulation of chiropractors in Tennessee.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify when it will become effective.
  • It is unclear how many veterinarians or chiropractors this change will directly impact.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB0164

Plain English: This amendment adds new sections to Tennessee laws to allow chiropractic physicians and licensed veterinarians to perform animal chiropractic after meeting certain educational requirements.

  • Defines 'animal chiropractic' as a specific type of therapy for non-human vertebral or extremity joint dysfunction, excluding surgery, medication dispensing, and other veterinary medicine practices.
  • Establishes rules for the regulation and certification of both chiropractic physicians and licensed veterinarians to perform animal chiropractic.
  • Requires annual continuing education in animal chiropractic for certified professionals.
  • The exact implementation details are not fully specified, as they will be determined by future regulations adopted by the board.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0128

Plain English: This amendment adds new sections to Tennessee laws to define and regulate animal chiropractic practice by both chiropractors and veterinarians.

  • Defines 'animal chiropractic' as a specific type of therapy for non-human vertebral or extremity joint dysfunction, excluding surgery, medication dispensing, and other veterinary medicine practices.
  • Establishes educational standards and certification requirements for chiropractors to perform animal chiropractic.
  • Requires veterinarians to meet certain educational standards and obtain certification from the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association to practice animal chiropractic.
  • Allows both certified chiropractors and licensed veterinarians to advertise their ability to provide animal chiropractic services.
  • The amendment text does not specify all details of the rules that will be adopted by the board, such as exact health and sanitation standards for facilities or full certification requirements.
  • It is unclear how existing practitioners in this field will transition to meet these new regulations.
Amendment 2-0 to SB0128

Plain English: This amendment adds new regulations for animal chiropractic in Tennessee, including defining what animal chiropractic is and setting educational standards for certification.

  • Defines 'animal chiropractic' as a specific type of therapy that does not include surgery or medication.
  • Establishes rules for the board to regulate animal chiropractic performance and set educational standards.
  • Requires certified animal chiropractors to complete additional continuing education hours annually.
  • Allows licensed veterinarians with proper certification to advertise their ability to provide animal chiropractic.
  • The exact details of how the board will implement these rules are not specified in this amendment text.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 304

  2. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 05/02/2025, 01/01/2026

  3. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 304

  4. 2025-05-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2025-04-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  10. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  11. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 65, Nays 24, PNV 4

  12. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0152)

  13. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  14. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  16. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 28, Nays 2, PNV 1

  17. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0249)

  18. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0406)

  19. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/15/2025

  20. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate Reset on calendar for 4/15/2025

  21. 2025-04-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/14/2025

  22. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/14/2025

  23. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate Reset on calendar for 4/14/2025

  24. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/10/2025

  25. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/10/2025

  26. 2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  27. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 4/7/2025

  28. 2025-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Government Operations Committee

  29. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Health Committee for 4/1/2025

  30. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 6, Nays 1 PNV 2

  31. 2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Health Committee

  32. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee for 3/25/2025

  33. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

  34. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/26/2025

  35. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee to 3/26/2025

  36. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  37. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/19/2025

  38. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 3/19/2025

  39. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee to 3/19/2025

  40. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 3/12/2025

  41. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  42. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee to 3/19/2025

  43. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee

  44. 2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee - Health Committee - Government Operations for Review

  45. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/5/2025

  46. 2025-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  47. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  48. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  49. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  50. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., & Natural Resources Committee

  51. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  52. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  53. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON APRIL 15, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2 AND PASSED SE
NATE BILL 128, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #2 makes the following revisions:



Revises the provision requiring the board
of chiropractic examiners
to adopt rules regulating the performance
of animal chiropractic by a chiropractic physician
to, instead, adopt rules regulating the performance
of animal chiropractic
.



Clarifies that the educational standards established by the board
of chiropractic examiners

for certification of a chiropractic physician to perform animal chiropractic
may be a curriculum similar to that of
the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association
if such curriculum is approved by the board.



Clarifies that it is not a violation of the bill
for a person who is licensed to practice veterinary medicine
in this state
, and who holds a current certification from the American Veterinary Chiropractic Association or the International Veterinary Chiropractic Association, to represent or advertise that the person is certified to provide animal chiropractic.



Removes the (i) requirements regarding the board of v
eterinary medical examiners
regulating the performance
of animal chiropractic
and (ii) the requirements placed on veterinarians.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 128
By Bailey

HOUSE BILL 164
By Marsh

HB0164
001440
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and
Title 63, relative to professions.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-12-112(a)(2)(A), is amended by
deleting "sixty (60)" and substituting "fifty (50)".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.