HB0295 • 2026

Health Care

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63 and Title 71, relative to doulas.

Healthcare Taxes

Active

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

Sponsor: Love, Lamar
Last action: 2026-02-11
Official status: Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide details about specific financial impacts or implementation timelines beyond the effective date.

Act to Certify Doula Services in Tennessee

This bill requires the Department of Health to establish a certification process for doulas and includes doula services as medical assistance under TennCare if certified.

What This Bill Does

Requires the commissioner of health to establish rules for certifying doulas based on training program completion and specific knowledge requirements.
Specifies that certified doulas can provide emotional and physical support during labor, birth, and postpartum periods.
Adds doula services as a type of medical assistance available through TennCare if the doula is certified by the Department of Health.

Who It Names or Affects

People seeking certification as doulas in Tennessee
Individuals receiving medical assistance through TennCare

Terms To Know

Doula services: Services that provide continuous emotional and physical support during labor, birth, and the postpartum period.
TennCare: The state's Medicaid program providing medical assistance to eligible individuals.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how much TennCare will pay for doula services.
It is unclear if the Department of Health has enough funding and staff to implement this new certification process effectively.

Amendments

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

HA0549

Amendment 1-0 to HB0295

Plain English: This amendment adds a new section to Tennessee Code Annotated that requires the commissioner of health to establish rules for issuing verification of certification to doulas who complete recognized training programs.

Adds a new section (63-1-177) defining 'doula services' and requiring the commissioner of health to create rules for certifying doulas based on their training and knowledge.
Specifies that certified doulas must demonstrate an understanding of anatomy, physiology related to pregnancy, emotional support strategies, physical comfort techniques, communication skills, and community resources.

The exact details of the certification process and rules for discipline are not fully specified in this amendment text.

HA0550

Amendment 2-0 to HB0295

Plain English: This amendment adds provisions to Tennessee law that create a registry for doulas and includes doula services in certain health care regulations.

Adds new subdivision (a)(29) to Section 71-5-107 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, which defines 'doula services' and includes them as covered under specific health care provisions.
Creates a new section in Title 63, Chapter 1, Part 1 of the Tennessee Code Annotated (Section 63-1-171) to establish requirements for a doula registry.

The amendment text does not specify how doulas will be reimbursed or covered under insurance plans.
It is unclear what specific training programs and certifications are recognized by DONA International as equivalent.

SA0003

Amendment 1-0 to SB0044

Plain English: The amendment adds new rules for collecting fees and imposing discipline on doulas, and changes a deadline from July 1, 2025 to January 1, 2026.

Adds new rules for the commissioner to create regarding fee collection and disciplinary actions for doulas.
Changes the effective date of certain provisions from July 1, 2025 to January 1, 2026.

SA0081

Amendment 2-0 to SB0044

Adds a new section (63-1-177) defining 'doula services' and requiring the commissioner of health to create rules for certifying doulas based on their training and knowledge.
Specifies that certified doulas must demonstrate an understanding of anatomy, physiology related to pregnancy, breastfeeding, and postpartum care; emotional support strategies; physical comfort techniques during labor; communication skills with healthcare providers; and awareness of community resources.

The amendment does not specify the exact fees or disciplinary actions for doulas, which will be determined by future rules.
It is unclear how existing doulas without certification will be affected by this new requirement.

Bill History

2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Health Committee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Insurance Committee for 2/10/2026
2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Insurance Committee to 2/10/2026
2026-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Insurance Committee for 2/3/2026
2026-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Meeting Canceled
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Insurance Committee for 1/27/2026
2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Insurance Committee to Second Calendar of 2026
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Insurance Committee for 4/1/2025
2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) withdrawn.
2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Insurance Committee to 4/1/2025
2025-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 22, Nays 5
2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0003)
2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0081)
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Insurance Committee for 3/25/2025
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Insurance Committee to 3/26/2025
2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/20/2025
2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Insurance Committee for 3/19/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Insurance Committee to 3/19/2025
2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 3 PNV 0
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Insurance Committee for 3/12/2025
2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Insurance Committee
2025-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3/11/2025
2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Tenncare Subcommittee for 3/4/2025
2025-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 7, Nays 0 PNV 2
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 2/19/2025
2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Tenncare Subcommittee
2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Insurance Committee - Health Committee - Government Operations for Review
2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2025-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee
2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2025-01-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

CERTIFICATION

This bill requires the commissioner of health ("commiss
ioner"), using the findings and recommendations of the doula services advisory committee, to establish by rule a process by which the department of health ("department") issues verification of certification to a person who has demonstrated all of the foll
o
wing by providing proof of completion of a doula training program recognized by the commissioner:



An understanding of basic anatomy and physiology as related to pregnancy, the child-bearing process, breastfeeding, or chest feeding, and the postpartum period.



Awareness of strategies for providing emotional support, education, and resources during the perinatal period.



Knowledge of and ability to assist families with utilizing a variety of nonclinical labor coping and physical comfort strategies.



Awareness of strategies to foster effective communication between clients, their families, support services, and healthcare providers.



Knowledge of community-based, publicly and federally funded, and clinical resources available to the client for needs outside of the doula's scope of practice.

DOULA SERVICES UNDER TENNCARE

Present law requires medical assistance to be provided to individuals who qualify for TennCare. Such medical assistance may include skilled nursing home services, outpatient hospital servic
es, and family planning services and supplies. This bill adds, as a type of medical assistance, doula services performed by a person who has received a verification of certification to perform doula services from the department.

ON MARCH 20, 2025, THE S
ENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 44, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #2 makes the following revisions:



R
emoves the provision that requires TennCare to provide, as a type of medical assistance, doula services performed by a person who has received a verification of certification to perform doula services from the department of health.



Revises the provision requiring doula training, in order to receive a verification of certification, to include an understanding of basic anatomy and physiology as related to chest feeding but retains breastfeeding.



Adds that, in
addition to the rules promulgated
in order to establish a
process by which the department issues a verification of certification to a person who has demonstrated
certain knowledge
by providing proof of completion of a doula training program recognized by the commissioner
,
the commissioner
must
promulgate
other
rules
to effectuate the bill, including rules
for the collection of fees and rules regarding the imposition of discipline, including the assessment and collection of fines
.



Changes the effective date from July 1, 2025, to January 1, 2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 44
By Lamar

HOUSE BILL 295
By Love

HB0295
000077
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63
and Title 71, relative to doulas.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 71-5-107(a), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
(29) Doula services performed by a person who has received a verification of
certification to perform doula services from the department of health pursuant to § 63-1-
177. As used in this subdivision (a)(29), "doula services" means a service that provides
continuous emotional and physical support throughout labor and birth and intermittently
during the prenatal and postpartum periods.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 1, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
63-1-177.
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of health;
(2) "Department" means the department of health; and
(3) "Doula services" means a service that provides continuous emotional
and physical support throughout labor and birth and intermittently during the
prenatal and postpartum periods.
(b) Using the findings and recommendations of the doula services advisory
committee, as described in § 63-15-103, the commissioner shall establish by rule a
process by which the department issues a verification of certification to a person who

- 2 - 000077

has demonstrated the following by providing proof of completion of a doula training
program recognized by the commissioner:
(1) An understanding of basic anatomy and physiology as related to
pregnancy, the childbearing process, breastfeeding or chest feeding, and the
postpartum period;
(2) The capacity to employ different strategies for providing emotional
support, education, and resources during the perinatal period;
(3) Knowledge of and the ability to assist families with utilizing a wide
variety of nonclinical labor coping and physical comfort strategies;
(4) An awareness of strategies to foster effective communication
between clients, their families, support services, and healthcare providers; and
(5) Knowledge of community-based, publicly and federally funded, and
clinical resources available to the client for any need outside the doula's scope of
practice.
SECTION 3. For the purpose of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon becoming
a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect July 1, 2025,
the public welfare requiring it.