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SB1403 • 2026

Pharmacy, Pharmacists

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 3; Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5; Title 53; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to insurance benefits for pharmacy.

Labor
Active

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

Sponsor
Hensley, Fritts
Last action
2025-03-18
Official status
Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Commerce and Labor Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official summary does not specify which entities are required to provide three weeks' notice. The candidate explanation assumes this includes covered entities, pharmacy benefits managers, the state and its subdivisions, or their agents, but this is not explicitly stated in the provided source material.

Pharmacy Audit Notice Period Extension

This bill changes Tennessee law to require that pharmacies and pharmacists receive three weeks' notice before an initial on-site audit instead of two weeks.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the time a pharmacy or pharmacist must be told about an upcoming audit from two weeks to three weeks.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Pharmacies and pharmacists who are audited.
  • Entities that conduct audits on pharmacies and pharmacists.

Terms To Know

audit
A review of a pharmacy's records to check if they follow rules and laws.
pharmacy benefits manager
An organization that manages prescription drug plans for insurance companies or employers.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if the notice period is shorter than three weeks.
  • It's unclear how this change will affect audits already scheduled before January 1, 2026.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

  2. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/18/2025

  3. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/18/2025

  4. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  7. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  8. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  9. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 1179
By Fritts

SENATE BILL 1403
By Hensley

SB1403
003104
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4,
Chapter 3; Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5; Title 53;
Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to
insurance benefits for pharmacy.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 56-7-3103(a)(1), is amended by
deleting the language "two (2) weeks" and substituting "three (3) weeks".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect January 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.