KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Tennessee

HB0172 • 2026

Medical Occupations

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, relative to healthcare providers.

Healthcare Labor
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Martin B, Jackson
Last action
2025-01-28
Official status
Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on enforcement or consequences for non-compliance.

Healthcare Provider Registration for Former Military Officers

This bill requires certain former military officers who were not honorably discharged to register with the appropriate board before practicing medicine in Tennessee.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires a person who was an officer in the commissioned medical corps of the U.S. armed forces or public health service and was subsequently discharged, instead of honorably discharged, to register with the appropriate board licensing that profession.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Former military officers who were not honorably discharged and wish to practice medicine in Tennessee.
  • The state boards that license different types of healthcare providers.

Terms To Know

Healing art
A profession like medicine or dentistry where people help sick or injured patients get better.
Commissioned medical corps
The part of the military that includes doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers who serve in the armed forces.

Limits and Unknowns

  • It is not clear how many former military officers will be affected by this change.
  • The bill does not specify what happens if someone fails to register as required.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Health & Welfare Committee

  2. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee

  4. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Health Committee

  5. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  6. 2025-01-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  7. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  8. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 223
By Jackson

HOUSE BILL 172
By Martin B

HB0172
001113
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63,
relative to healthcare providers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-1-110(b), is amended by deleting
the subsection and substituting:
(b) When such person resigns or is discharged from one (1) of the services
mentioned in subsection (a) and engages in the practice of a healing art or any branch
thereof in this state, such person shall register with the appropriate board licensing that
profession.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.