SB0299 • 2026

Boards and Commissions

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and Title 68, Chapter 7, relative to the medical cannabis commission.

Healthcare

Active

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

Sponsor: Haile, Terry
Last action: 2025-04-29
Official status: Effective date(s) 04/15/2025
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on how new members will be chosen or specific limits on policy recommendations.

Medical Cannabis Commission Changes

This bill changes the qualifications for members of Tennessee's Medical Cannabis Commission and allows the commission to make policy recommendations.

What This Bill Does

Changes who can be appointed as members of the Medical Cannabis Commission, including a patient caregiver or someone who used to be one, and an expert on medical cannabis cultivation, processing, shipping, distribution, or prescription.
Allows the commission to recommend policies along with other findings.

Who It Names or Affects

The Medical Cannabis Commission in Tennessee
People who are part of the General Assembly (lawmakers)

Terms To Know

Medical Cannabis Commission: A group that gives advice about medical cannabis to lawmakers.
Patient caregiver: Someone who helps a patient with their medical needs, especially for using medical cannabis.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how the new members will be chosen.
It is unclear what specific limits there are on policy recommendations made by the commission.

Amendments

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

HA0182

Amendment 1-0 to HB0830

Plain English: The amendment changes how members are appointed to the medical cannabis commission and updates what information the commission must report.

Adds new requirements for appointing three specific types of members to the medical cannabis commission: a patient or caregiver, an expert in cannabis cultivation and distribution, and another member who meets similar qualifications.
Modifies the reporting requirement for the commission to include policy recommendations along with other findings.

The exact criteria for 'qualifications' mentioned are not fully detailed in the amendment text.

SA0006

Amendment 1-0 to SB0299

Plain English: The amendment changes how members are appointed to the medical cannabis commission and updates what information the commission must report.

Changes the criteria for appointing three members of the medical cannabis commission: one patient or caregiver, one subject matter expert in cannabis use, and another member who meets qualifications similar to the first two.
Updates the requirement that the commission reports its findings and recommendations to include specific policy recommendations.

The amendment text does not specify how members meeting criteria under (A) or (B) are appointed in detail, leaving some aspects of the appointment process unclear.

Bill History

2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly
Effective date(s) 04/15/2025
2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly
Pub. Ch. 209
2025-04-29 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 209
2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Governor.
2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Transmitted to Governor for action.
2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by H. Speaker
2025-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Senate Speaker
2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Enrolled and ready for signatures
2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., Ayes 82, Nays 2, PNV 0
2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0182)
2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2025-04-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 27, Nays 2
2025-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0006)
2025-03-28 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/31/2025
2025-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/3/2025
2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/27/2025
2025-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/25/2025
2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Health Committee to 3/25/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/18/2025
2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Health Committee
2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/12/2025
2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 1 PNV 0
2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/18/2025
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee
2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Health Committee
2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 31, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BI
LL 299, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 removes the requirement in the bill that the three members appointed by the governor had to each come from different grand divisions in this state.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 830
By Terry

SENATE BILL 299
By Haile

SB0299
002150
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4 and
Title 68, Chapter 7, relative to the medical
cannabis commission.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-7-103(a)(3), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(3) The governor shall appoint three (3) members, with one (1) appointed from
each grand division and:
(A) One (1) member who:
(i) Is a patient who has been diagnosed with a qualifying medical
disease or condition and who can establish the diagnosis for purposes of
appointment to and service on the commission with a valid letter of
attestation; or
(ii) Is the caregiver of a patient described in subdivision
(a)(3)(A)(i) or who was a caregiver for a patient as described in
subdivision (a)(3)(A)(i) and the patient is now deceased;
(B) One (1) member who is a subject matter expert with knowledge of
how cannabis is cultivated, processed, shipped, distributed, or prescribed for
medical use; and
(C) One (1) member who meets the qualifications for appointment under
subdivision (a)(3)(A) or (B).
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-7-109(d), is amended by deleting
the language " The commission shall report its findings and recommendations to the general

- 2 - 002150

assembly relating to the medical use of cannabis in this state." and substituting "The
commission shall report its findings and recommendations, including, but not limited to, policy
recommendations, to the general assembly relating to the medical use of cannabis in this
state.".
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.