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

SB0343 • 2026

Public Health

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 29; Title 33; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to health.

Healthcare
Active

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

Sponsor
Bailey, Williams
Last action
2026-04-02
Official status
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on what happens if a paramedic fails to complete required training or how it affects current out-of-state paramedics seeking licensure in Tennessee.

Health Care Improvements

This bill changes the response time for health boards to inquiries about high-risk prescribers and allows paramedics to declare death after completing specific training.

What This Bill Does

  • Extends the time a licensing board has to answer questions from the Department of Health about doctors who prescribe too many controlled substances or are high-risk prescribers from 30 days to 45 days.
  • Allows licensed paramedics, starting January 1, 2027, to declare someone dead after completing special training and attempting resuscitation according to set standards.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Health licensing boards in Tennessee
  • Doctors who prescribe controlled substances
  • Licensed paramedics in Tennessee

Terms To Know

paramedic
A medical professional trained to provide emergency care and transport patients.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a paramedic fails to complete the required training.
  • It's unclear how this change will affect current out-of-state paramedics seeking licensure in Tennessee.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB0398

Plain English: This amendment allows paramedics to declare someone dead after they have tried to save their life and completed special training, but only outside of hospitals.

  • Paramedics can now make a determination of death if they are trained and have attempted resuscitation according to established standards.
  • Paramedics must complete specific instruction on determining and pronouncing death before doing so.
  • Paramedics who do not follow the rules for declaring death may face disciplinary action.
  • The amendment does not specify what happens if a paramedic makes an incorrect determination of death.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0343

Plain English: This amendment allows paramedics to declare someone dead in certain situations after completing specific training and attempting resuscitation, but not for patients already in a hospital.

  • Paramedics can now make an actual determination of death if they have completed the required training and attempted resuscitation according to established standards.
  • Hospitals are excluded from this rule; paramedics cannot declare someone dead inside a hospital.
  • All paramedics must complete a course on determining and pronouncing death, and out-of-state paramedics need to provide proof of such training to get licensed in Tennessee.
  • The amendment does not specify the exact details of the required training or resuscitation standards.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026

  2. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026

  3. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  5. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 33, Nays 0

  7. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0783)

  8. 2026-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/30/2026

  9. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final cal. 2 of Calendar & Rules Committee

  10. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026

  11. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  12. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 0

  13. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/24/2026

  14. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/18/2026

  15. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Health and Welfare Committee to 3/18/2026

  16. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Health Committee to 3/24/2026

  17. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Health and Welfare Committee to 3/18/2026

  19. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    No Action Taken

  21. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  22. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 3/11/2026

  23. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Refer to Senate Health & Welfare Committee

  26. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recalled from Senate Commerce & Labor Committee

  27. 2026-02-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  28. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  29. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee

  30. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to Health Committee

  31. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  32. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  33. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  34. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  35. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  36. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  37. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  38. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  39. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 30, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 343, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, authorize, as of January 1, 2027, a licensed paramedic to make an actual determination and pronouncement of death. However, the paramedic must have successfully completed training in the determination and pron
ouncement of death and have attempted to resuscitate the person in accordance with standards established by the emergency medical services board. A paramedic is prohibited from making an actual determination and pronouncement of death if the patient is i
n
a hospital when the apparent death occurs.

This amendment requires a paramedic to complete a course of instruction on making an actual determination and pronouncement of death. Further, the emergency medical services board is prohibited from issuing a paramedic license to an applicant from anoth
er state if such applicant does not provide proof of the successful completion of such a training.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 398
By Williams

SENATE BILL 343
By Bailey
SB0343
002345
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 29; Title 33; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and
Title 71, relative to health.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 68-1-128(h)(2), is amended by
deleting "thirty (30) days" and substituting "forty-five (45) days".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.