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

HB2555 • 2026

Medical Occupations

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 7; Title 24; Title 33; Title 38; Title 49; Title 53; Title 55; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68; Title 71 and Chapter 1042 of the Public Acts of 2024, relative to physician assistants.

Healthcare
Active

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

Sponsor
Lamberth, Johnson
Last action
2026-03-18
Official status
Taken off notice for cal in s/c Health Subcommittee of Health Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide information on whether the board is required to inform applicants about appearing before the board.

Changes to Physician Assistant Licensing in Tennessee

This act reduces the time a licensing board has to decide on an application for a physician assistant from another state.

What This Bill Does

  • Shortens the decision-making period for the board of physician assistants from 45 days to 35 days.
  • Applies to applications submitted by individuals licensed, registered, or certified as physician assistants in other states.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Physician assistants applying for licensure from another state
  • The Tennessee Board of Physician Assistants

Terms To Know

Licensure
A license given by the government that allows someone to work in a specific profession.
Physician Assistant
A healthcare professional who works under the supervision of a doctor and can do many tasks like diagnosing illnesses, treating patients, and prescribing medicine.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if an applicant needs to appear before the board.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect the workload or efficiency of the licensing process for the board.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c Health Subcommittee of Health Committee

  2. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  3. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  5. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Health Subcommittee to 3/18/2026

  6. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  7. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  8. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee

  9. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Health Committee - Government Operations for Review

  10. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Refer to Senate Health & Welfare Committee

  11. 2026-02-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recalled from Senate Commerce & Labor Committee

  12. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.

  13. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

  14. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  15. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  16. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  17. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2243
By Johnson

HOUSE BILL 2555
By Lamberth
HB2555
012657
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 7; Title 24; Title 33; Title 38; Title 49; Title 53;
Title 55; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68; Title 71 and
Chapter 1042 of the Public Acts of 2024, relative
to physician assistants.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-19-105(b)(2)(A), is amended by
deleting "forty-five (45) days" and substituting "thirty-five (35) days".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to completed applications submitted to the board of physician assistants on or after that
date.