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SB0550 • 2026

Health Care

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

Healthcare
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Briggs, Scarbrough
Last action
2026-04-17
Official status
Transmitted to Governor for action.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included details about increasing commission members and adding a new member which were not present until Amendment #3.

Medical Cannabis Commission Changes

This bill changes how a substance abuse prevention specialist is appointed to Tennessee's medical cannabis commission and updates when certain provisions take effect.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the requirement that one of the three names submitted by the Prevention Alliance of Tennessee must be used to appoint a specialist in substance abuse prevention.
  • Changes the effective date from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026.
  • Clarifies that changes only apply to appointments made on or after July 1, 2026.
  • Increases the number of members on the medical cannabis commission from nine to ten.
  • Adds a new member who is an expert in preventing substance abuse and makes this person a nonvoting member.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Members of the medical cannabis commission
  • People involved with substance abuse prevention

Terms To Know

Medical Cannabis Commission
A group that makes decisions about medical marijuana in Tennessee.
Substance Abuse Prevention Specialist
An expert who works to stop people from using harmful substances like drugs or alcohol.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the new member will be chosen.
  • It is unclear what changes, if any, will occur before July 1, 2026.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2404

Plain English: House Health 1 Amendment No.

  • House Health 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB2404 Terry Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 550* House Bill No.
  • 2404 HA0941 013828 - 1 - by deleting the second sentence in subdivision (1)(C) in SECTION 1.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0550

Plain English: Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB0550 Gardenhire Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 550* House Bill No.
  • 2404 SA0483 013304 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 2-0 to SB0550

Plain English: Amendment No.

  • Amendment No.
  • 2 to SB0550 Briggs Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 550* House Bill No.
  • 2404 SA0545 013828 - 1 - by deleting the second sentence in subdivision (1)(C) in SECTION 1.
Amendment 3-0 to SB0550

Plain English: Amendment No.

  • Amendment No.
  • 3 to SB0550 Haile Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 550* House Bill No.
  • 2404 SA0817 016352 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  2. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  3. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  4. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  5. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 93, Nays 0, PNV 0

  6. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0941)

  7. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  8. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  9. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  11. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  12. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee for 4/6/2026

  13. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Government Operations Committee

  14. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/31/2026

  16. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  18. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 31, Nays 0

  19. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 3 - SA0817)

  20. 2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/23/2026

  21. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/25/2026

  22. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Health Subcommittee to 3/25/2026

  23. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate Reset on calendar for 3/23/2026

  24. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0483)

  25. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA0545)

  26. 2026-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/16/2026

  27. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  30. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  31. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 2/17/2026

  32. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee

  33. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Health Committee - Government Operations for Review

  34. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  35. 2026-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  36. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  37. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  38. 2025-01-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 16, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2 AND RESET SENATE BILL 550, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #2 makes the following changes:



Removes the requirement that the speaker must select the member from a list of three names submitted by the Prevention Alliance of Tennessee, with the member to be appointed by the speaker on or after July 1, 2025.



Changes the effective date of the bill from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026.



Clarifies that the bill only applies to appointments made on or after July 1, 2026.

ON MARCH 23, 2026, THE SENATE FURTHER CONSIDERED SENATE BILL 550, AS AMENDED BY AMENDMENT #2, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #3, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 550, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #3 rewrites the bill to (i) increase the number of members on the medical cannabis commission from nine to 10 and (ii) provide that the additional member must be a member who is a specialist in the area of substance abuse prevention and serve a
s a nonvoting member.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2404
By Scarbrough

SENATE BILL 550
By Briggs
SB0550
002536
- 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)(1), is amended by
deleting the subdivision and substituting:
(1) The speaker of the senate shall appoint three (3) members as follows:
(A) One (1) member must be a physician licensed under title 63, chapter
6 or 9;
(B) One (1) member must be a pharmacist licensed under title 63,
chapter 10; and
(C) One (1) member must be a specialist in the area of substance abuse
prevention. The speaker shall select the member from a list of three (3) names
submitted by the Prevention Alliance of Tennessee, with the member to be
appointed by the speaker on or after July 1, 2025, in accordance with subsection
(b).
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.