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HB2021 • 2026

Podiatrists

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

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Martin B, Massey
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 675
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on enforcement or qualifications.

Podiatry Practice Changes

This bill updates Tennessee's podiatry laws by limiting what parts of the lower leg podiatrists can treat.

What This Bill Does

  • Updates state law to specify that podiatrists may only treat soft tissues below the tibial tuberosity on the lower leg.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Podiatrists in Tennessee
  • Patients seeking treatment for foot, ankle, and specific parts of the lower leg

Terms To Know

Tibial tuberosity
A bony bump on the front of the shin bone (tibia) near the knee.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify consequences for podiatrists treating areas outside their new limits.
  • Does not address training or qualifications for treating these specific areas.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2021

Plain English: The amendment changes the part of Tennessee law that describes what parts of the foot and ankle podiatrists can treat.

  • Podiatrists in Tennessee would be allowed to treat soft tissues only below the tibial tuberosity, instead of up to the distal tibial metaphyseal flair.
  • The amendment text does not provide details on how this change will affect podiatry practices or patient care in Tennessee.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2358

Plain English: The amendment changes the part of Tennessee's law that describes what parts of the foot and ankle podiatrists can treat.

  • Podiatrists in Tennessee will now be allowed to treat soft tissues below the tibial tuberosity, which is a bony area on the shin bone, instead of being limited to areas no higher than the distal tibial metaphyseal flair.
  • The amendment text does not provide details about why this change was made or what specific impacts it might have.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect podiatrists' practice in Tennessee beyond the described anatomical area.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 675

  2. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/07/2026

  3. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 675

  4. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  10. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 89, Nays 0, PNV 0

  11. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0722)

  12. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  13. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/23/2026

  14. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/19/2026

  15. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/17/2026

  17. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    No Action Taken

  18. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/10/2026

  19. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Health Committee to 3/10/2026

  20. 2026-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  21. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/3/2026

  22. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  24. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 31, Nays 1

  25. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0494)

  26. 2026-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 2/23/2026

  27. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  28. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Health Committee

  29. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  30. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 2/18/2026

  31. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 2/18/2026

  33. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  34. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee

  35. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Health Committee

  36. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  37. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  38. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  39. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON FEBRUARY 23, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2358, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 clarifies that a podiatrist may only treat the soft tissues of the lower leg distal to the tibial tuberosity.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2358
By Massey

HOUSE BILL 2021
By Martin B
HB2021
011728
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-3-101(a), is amended by deleting
"structures extending no higher than the distal tibial metaphyseal flair" and substituting "of the
lower leg distal to the tibial tuberosity".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.