HB0688 • 2026

Health, Dept. of

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 53; Title 58; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to medicine.

Healthcare

Active

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

Sponsor: Camper, Akbari
Last action: 2026-03-04
Official status: Taken off notice for cal in s/c Health Subcommittee of Health Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill does not specify exact costs or funding sources for maintaining the stockpile.

Tennessee Health Department Emergency Medicine Stockpile Act

This bill requires Tennessee's health department to create and maintain a stockpile of essential medicines and medical supplies for emergencies.

What This Bill Does

Requires the commissioner of health, in consultation with TEMA and other relevant state agencies, to establish an emergency medicine stockpile maintained by the Department of Health.
Sets guidelines for procurement, management, and distribution of items in the stockpile.
Allows the department to contract with private entities for procurement and management of the stockpile supplies.
Requires demand planning and modeling for essential buffer stock, including recommendations on types and quantities of emergency supplies needed.
Establishes an annual reporting requirement for the status of the stockpile.

Who It Names or Affects

The Tennessee Department of Health
Private entities that can help with procurement and management
Healthcare providers, facilities, and other designated recipients

Terms To Know

Essential buffer stock: A collection of emergency medicines, vaccines, and medical supplies kept for use during public health emergencies.
Virtually sequestered buffer stock: An inventory managed by a vendor to avoid expiration and ensure availability in an emergency.

Limits and Unknowns

The exact cost of maintaining the stockpile is not known.
Future additions or disbursements from the stockpile depend on decisions made by the Department of Health.

Bill History

2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Taken off notice for cal in s/c Health Subcommittee of Health Committee
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/4/2026
2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Health Committee
2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill requires the
commissioner
of health ("commissioner")
, in consultation with the director of TEMA and the directors of such other state, local, and regional emergency management and public health resou
rces as the commissioner deems necessary,
to
establish a statewide strategic essential buffer stock for emergency preparedness and drug shortage prevention to be maintained by the department
of health ("department")
for use in the event of a public health
emergency, including natural disasters, man-made disasters, and mass casualty events at the local and state levels.
As used in this bill,
"
e
ssential buffer stock" means essential emergency and chronic disease management medicines, vaccines, and medical su
pplies buffer stock, essential medicine reserve, and strategic inventory stockpile of essential medicines
.

This bill requires the
commissioner, in consultation with the director of TEMA,
to
establish guidelines for the procurement, management, and distri
bution of medicines, vaccines, and medical supply items in an essential buffer stock, which may include a virtually sequestered buffer stock.

This bill authorizes the
department
to
contract with private entities for the procurement of strategic emergency
readiness supplies for, and management and distribution of, the essential buffer stock, including a virtually sequestered buffer stock. The department may contract for the reservation of supplies stored by a private, vendor-managed entity for the essent
i
al buffer stock, and the distribution of such supplies to locations specified by the department consistent with this section and rules promulgated by the department.

DEMAND PLANNING AND ESSENTIAL BUFFER STOCK MODELING

This bill requires

t
he commissioner
, in consultation with the director of TEMA and the directors of such other state, local, and regional emergency management and public health resources as the commissioner deems necessary,
to
conduct demand planning and essential buffer stock modeling for
emergency readiness supplies to be included at the discretion of the commissioner. Such planning and essential buffer stock modeling must include

(
i
)
r
ecommendations on the types of emergency supplies to be included, in particular those determined to be n
ecessary for rural and medically underserved areas;

(
ii
)
a
nticipated demand for emergency supplies for various public health emergencies and natural disaster scenarios;

(
iii
)
r
ecommended quantities to be held in the essential buffer stock for each supply t
ype;

(
iv
)
g
uidelines for the supplies to be distributed to municipalities and healthcare settings in the event of a local or regional public health emergency; and

(
v
)
p
ossible logistical and operational strategies that could be used to reduce the costs of
the supplies, including the use of a virtually sequestered buffer stock procured and managed by an external vendor.

This bill requires the g
uidelines
as
described
above to
include
the following:



The various types of items that may be required during an outbreak or other public health emergency, including natural disasters, man-made disasters, and mass casualty events
.



The amount of each type of item required for a sustained outbreak, public health emergency, natural disaster, man-made disaster, or mass casualty event
.



An action plan establishing policies and standards for an essential buffer stock surge capacity, including a virtually sequestered buffer stock, to ensure that hospitals, emergency providers, and other designated recipients have access to an adequate supply of necessary items during an outbreak or other public health emergency
.



Acknowledgement of any federal and state rules, policies, and funding that would be required to establish an essential buffer stock
.



How distribution from procurement must be prioritized if there are insufficient resources to meet the identified needs of healthcare providers, healthcare facilities, and other designated recipients
.

This bill requires

t
he commissioner, in consultation with the director of TEMA and the directors of such other state, local, and regional emergency management and public health resources as the commissioner deems necessary,
to
define a list of entities to which essential buffer stock resources may be disbursed under the planning, modeling, and guidelines created pursuant to this
bill
.

When maintaining and securing supplies pursuant to this
bill
, the department
must
seek to maximize available federal and state funding.

ANNUAL REPORT

On or before January 15 of each year,
this bil
l requires
the commissioner, in consultation with the director of TEMA and the commissioner of education,
to
submit to the clerk of the senate, the clerk of the house of representatives, and the legislative librarian an annual report on the stockpile for t
he previous calendar year just ended. The report must include
(i) a
n inventory of items in the stockpile
,
(
ii
)
t
he number of items from the stockpile that were used during the previous calendar year
,
(
iii
)
t
he level of anticipated future usage
,
(
iv
)
t
he s
tatus of existing contracts with private entities that fulfill procurement contracts for the stockpile
,
(
v
)
t
he types and number of items reserved through private entities
,
and

(
vi
)
a
description of plans to access and distribute items reserved by private entities for an emergency.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 584
By Akbari

HOUSE BILL 688
By Camper

HB0688
001089
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 53; Title 58; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71,
relative to medicine.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 1, is amended by adding
the following as a new part:
68-1-1701.
The general assembly finds that access to a statewide strategic buffer stock,
essential medicine reserve, or strategic inventory of essential medicines in the event of
an emergency or natural disaster is vital to this state's healthcare system, educational
settings, and the general population who rely on the state's healthcare resources,
especially those who reside in rural or medically underserved areas.
68-1-1702.
As used in this part:
(1) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of health, or the
commissioner's designee;
(2) "Department" means the department of health;
(3) "Designated recipients" includes healthcare providers, healthcare
facilities, state disaster relief organizations, state-operated facilities, and other
entities to which strategic reserve medical resources may be disbursed under
this part;
(4) "Essential buffer stock" means the essential emergency and chronic
disease management medicines, vaccines, and medical supplies buffer stock,

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essential medicine reserve, and strategic inventory stockpile of essential
medicines created by this part;
(5) "Natural disaster" means a hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high
water, wind-driven water, tidal wave, tsunami, earthquake, volcanic eruption,
landslide, mudslide, snowstorm, ice storm, drought, fire, explosion, civil
disturbance, or other catastrophe that causes or may cause substantial damage
or injury to property, and includes an area that has been declared by the
governor to be a disaster area;
(6) "Outbreak" means the widespread occurrence of an illness, disease,
or other specific health condition; and
(7) "Virtually sequestered buffer stock" means an inventory stockpile of
medications managed by a distribution vendor to avoid expiration and ensure
availability during an emergency or natural disaster.
68-1-1703.
(a) The commissioner, in consultation with the director of TEMA and the
directors of such other state, local, and regional emergency management and public
health resources as the commissioner deems necessary, shall establish a statewide
strategic essential buffer stock for emergency preparedness and drug shortage
prevention to be maintained by the department for use in the event of a public health
emergency, including natural disasters, man-made disasters, and mass casualty events
at the local and state levels.
(b) The commissioner, in consultation with the director of TEMA, shall establish
guidelines for the procurement, management, and distribution of medicines, vaccines,
and medical supply items in an essential buffer stock, which may include a virtually
sequestered buffer stock.

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(c) The department may contract with private entities for the procurement of
strategic emergency readiness supplies for, and management and distribution of, the
essential buffer stock, including a virtually sequestered buffer stock. The department
may contract for the reservation of supplies stored by a private, vendor-managed entity
for the essential buffer stock, and the distribution of such supplies to locations specified
by the department consistent with this section and rules promulgated by the department.
68-1-1704.
(a) The commissioner, in consultation with the director of TEMA and the
directors of such other state, local, and regional emergency management and public
health resources as the commissioner deems necessary, shall conduct demand
planning and essential buffer stock modeling for emergency readiness supplies to be
included at the discretion of the commissioner. Such planning and essential buffer stock
modeling must include:
(1) Recommendations on the types of emergency supplies to be
included, in particular those determined to be necessary for rural and medically
underserved areas;
(2) Anticipated demand for emergency supplies for various public health
emergencies and natural disaster scenarios;
(3) Recommended quantities to be held in the essential buffer stock for
each supply type;
(4) Guidelines for the supplies to be distributed to municipalities and
healthcare settings in the event of a local or regional public health emergency;
and

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(5) Possible logistical and operational strategies that could be used to
reduce the costs of the supplies, including the use of a virtually sequestered
buffer stock procured and managed by an external vendor.
(b) Guidelines described in subdivision (a)(4) must include:
(1) The various types of items that may be required during an outbreak or
other public health emergency, including natural disasters, man-made disasters,
and mass casualty events;
(2) The amount of each type of item required for a sustained outbreak,
public health emergency, natural disaster, man-made disaster, or mass casualty
event;
(3) An action plan establishing policies and standards for an essential
buffer stock surge capacity, including a virtually sequestered buffer stock, to
ensure that hospitals, emergency providers, and other designated recipients
have access to an adequate supply of necessary items during an outbreak or
other public health emergency;
(4) Acknowledgement of any federal and state rules, policies, and
funding that would be required to establish an essential buffer stock;
(5) How distribution from procurement must be prioritized if there are
insufficient resources to meet the identified needs of healthcare providers,
healthcare facilities, and other designated recipients, including consideration of
whether the healthcare provider, facility, or other recipient:
(A) Is in a location with a high number of rural or underserved
residents;

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(B) Is in a medically underserved area, as designated by the
United States department of health and human services, health resources
and services administration;
(C) Disproportionately serves a medically underserved or rural
population, as designated by the United States department of health and
human services, health resources and services administration; and
(D) Is in a county with a high infection rate or high hospitalization
rate related to the declared emergency.
(c) The commissioner, in consultation with the director of TEMA and the
directors of such other state, local, and regional emergency management and public
health resources as the commissioner deems necessary, shall define a list of entities to
which essential buffer stock resources may be disbursed under the planning, modeling,
and guidelines created pursuant to this section.
(d) When maintaining and securing supplies pursuant to this part, the
department shall seek to maximize available federal and state funding.
68-1-1705.
On or before January 15, 2026, and on or before January 15 of each year
thereafter, the commissioner, in consultation with the director of TEMA and the
commissioner of education, shall submit to the clerk of the senate, the clerk of the house
of representatives, and the legislative librarian an annual report on the stockpile for the
previous calendar year just ended. The report must include:
(1) An inventory of items in the stockpile;
(2) The number of items from the stockpile that were used during the
previous calendar year;
(3) The level of anticipated future usage;

- 6 - 001089

(4) The status of existing contracts with private entities that fulfill
procurement contracts for the stockpile;
(5) The types and number of items reserved through private entities; and
(6) A description of plans to access and distribute items reserved by
private entities for an emergency.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.