Medical Occupations

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Medical Occupations

This bill is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee K-9 Emergency Medical Care and Transport Act," which requires the board of veterinary medical examiners, in consultation with the Tennessee emergency medical services board, to (i) establish requireme nts for a licensed veterinarian to serve as an emergency veterinary medicine service director and (ii) approve a program to train emergency medical services personnel to transport and provide emergency care to a canine first responder injured in the line of duty.

What This Bill Does

• This bill is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee K-9 Emergency Medical Care and Transport Act," which requires the board of veterinary medical examiners, in consultation with the Tennessee emergency medical services board, to (i) establish requireme nts for a licensed veterinarian to serve as an emergency veterinary medicine service director and (ii) approve a program to train emergency medical services personnel to transport and provide emergency care to a canine first responder injured in the line of duty.
• The emergency veterinary medicine service director provides veterinary medicine advice, direction, oversight, and authorization to emergency medical services personnel at an ambulance service for purposes of transporting and providing emergency ve terinary medicine care to a canine first responder that is injured in the line of duty.
• As used in this bill, a "canine first responder" is a dog with specialized training, or being trained, for police, military, or patrol work; detection work; or search -a nd-rescue; and being used by and under the control of a federal, state, or local law enforcement officer, railroad police officer or a member of the United States armed forces or of a reserve or Tennessee national guard unit in the performance of the offi cer's or member's law enforcement or military duties.
• Upon completion of the training established by the board of veterinary medical examiners, in consultation with the Tennessee emergency medical services board, this bill authorizes emergency medical services personnel to transport a canine first responder injured in the line of duty to a veterinary clinic, veterinary hospital, or other similar facility if there is no individual who requires medical attention or transport at that time, and provide emergency care to the canine first responder while at the s ce ne of the injury or while the canine first responder is being transported.

Limits and Unknowns

• This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Official Summary Text

This bill is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee K-9 Emergency Medical Care and Transport Act," which requires the board of veterinary medical examiners, in consultation with the Tennessee emergency medical services board, to (i) establish requireme
nts for a licensed veterinarian to serve as an emergency veterinary medicine service director and (ii) approve a program to train emergency medical services personnel to transport and provide emergency care to a canine first responder injured in the line
of
duty. The emergency veterinary medicine service director provides veterinary medicine advice, direction, oversight, and authorization to emergency medical services personnel at an ambulance service for purposes of transporting and providing emergency ve
terinary medicine care to a canine first responder that is injured in the line of duty. As used in this bill, a "canine first responder" is a dog with specialized training, or being trained, for police, military, or patrol work; detection work; or search
-a
nd-rescue; and being used by and under the control of a federal, state, or local law enforcement officer, railroad police officer or a member of the United States armed forces or of a reserve or Tennessee national guard unit in the performance of the offi
cer's or member's law enforcement or military duties.

Upon completion of the training established by the board of veterinary medical examiners, in consultation with the Tennessee emergency medical services board, this bill authorizes emergency medical services personnel to transport a canine first responder
injured in the line of duty to a veterinary clinic, veterinary hospital, or other similar facility if there is no individual who requires medical attention or transport at that time, and provide emergency care to the canine first responder while at the s
ce
ne of the injury or while the canine first responder is being transported. This bill clarifies that emergency medical services personnel who provide such care are not required to be licensed under the Tennessee Veterinary Practice Act.

IMMUNITY

This bill provides that emergency medical services personnel who act in good faith to provide emergency care to a canine first responder are immune from criminal and civil liability as it relates to any injury or harm caused to the injured canine first r
esponder, or from refusing to provide care or transport an injured canine first responder.

RULEMAKING

This bill authorizes the board of veterinary medical examiners, in consultation with the Tennessee emergency medical services board, to promulgate rules to effectuate this bill.

ON MARCH 26, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2069, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the following changes:



Eliminates the requirement that the board of veterinary medical examiners promulgate rules to establish requirements for a licensed veterinarian to serve as an emergency veterinary medicine service director and approve a program to train emergency medical services personnel to transport and provide emergency care to a canine first responder.


Eliminates the requirement that emergency medical services personnel complete a training prior to transporting and providing emergency care to a canine first responder.


Provides that emergency medical services personnel are immune from discipline by the board of veterinary examiners for emergency medical services regulated by the Tennessee emergency medical services board. However, this provision does not provide immunity for the provision of veterinary medicine that emergency medical services personnel may provide during the transport of a canine first responder.


Provides that emergency service personnel transporting or providing care authorized by this bill are not engaged in the unauthorized practice of veterinary medicine.


Provides that emergency services personnel are immune from discipline from the Tennessee emergency medical services board regarding the provision of veterinary medicine.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 2069
By Watson

HOUSE BILL 1694
By Reneau
HB1694
010645
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 14, Part 2; Title 44, Chapter 17; Title 63,
Chapter 12 and Title 68, Chapter 140, relative to
emergency services for specially trained animals.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee K-9 Emergency
Medical Care and Transport Act."
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-12-103, is amended by adding
the following as new, appropriately designated subdivisions:
( ) "Ambulance service" has the same meaning as defined in § 68-140-302;
( ) "Canine first responder" means a dog:
(A) With specialized training, or being trained, for police, military, or
patrol work; detection work; or search-and-rescue; and
(B) Being used by and under the control of a federal, state, or local law
enforcement officer, railroad police officer commissioned pursuant to § 65-6-133,
or a member of the United States armed forces or of a reserve or Tennessee
national guard unit in the performance of the officer's or member's law
enforcement or military duties;
( ) "Emergency medical services personnel" has the same meaning as defined
in § 68-140-302;
( ) "Emergency veterinary medicine service director" means a licensed
veterinarian who provides veterinary medicine advice, direction, oversight, and
authorization to emergency medical services personnel at an ambulance service for

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purposes of transporting and providing emergency veterinary medicine care to a canine
first responder that is injured in the line of duty;
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 12, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) The board of veterinary medical examiners, in consultation with the
Tennessee emergency medical services board, shall promulgate rules, pursuant to the
Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, to:
(1) Establish requirements for a licensed veterinarian to serve as an
emergency veterinary medicine service director; and
(2) Approve a program to train emergency medical services personnel to
transport and provide emergency care to a canine first responder injured in the
line of duty.
(b) A licensed veterinarian who meets the requirements established pursuant to
subdivision (a)(1) may serve as an emergency veterinary medicine service director for
an ambulance service.
(c) Upon successful completion of the training established pursuant to
subdivision (a)(2), and subject to the veterinary medicine advice, direction, oversight,
and authorization of an emergency veterinary medicine service director, emergency
medical services personnel may:
(1) Transport a canine first responder injured in the line of duty to a
veterinary clinic, veterinary hospital, or other similar facility, if there is no
individual who requires medical attention or transport at that time; and
(2) Provide emergency care to a canine first responder injured in the line
of duty while at the scene of the injury or while the canine first responder is being
transported pursuant to subdivision (c)(1).

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SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-12-133, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(d) Emergency medical services personnel who transport or provide emergency
care to a canine first responder injured in the line of duty pursuant to Section 3 are not
required to be licensed under this chapter.
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 140, Part 3, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section, "canine first responder" means a dog:
(1) With specialized training, or in the process of receiving specialized
training, for police, military, or patrol work; detection work; or search-and-rescue;
and
(2) Being used by and under the control of a federal, state, or local law
enforcement officer, railroad police officer commissioned pursuant to § 65-6-133,
or a member of the United States armed forces or of a reserve or Tennessee
national guard unit in the performance of the officer's or member's law
enforcement or military duties.
(b) Subject to Section 3, emergency medical services personnel may:
(1) Transport a canine first responder injured in the line of duty to a
veterinary clinic, veterinary hospital, or other similar facility, if there is no
individual who requires medical attention or transport at that time; and
(2) Provide emergency care to a canine first responder injured in the line
of duty while at the scene of the injury or while the canine first responder is being
transported pursuant to subdivision (b)(1).
(c) Emergency medical services personnel who act in good faith to provide
emergency care to a canine first responder pursuant to subdivision (b)(2) are immune

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from criminal and civil liability as it relates to any injury or harm caused to the injured
canine first responder. Emergency medical services personnel are also immune from
criminal and civil liability for refusing to provide care to or transport an injured canine first
responder.
SECTION 6. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.