SB1753 • 2026

Health Care

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 6 and Title 63, Chapter 9, relative to the practice of medicine.

Healthcare

Active

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

Sponsor: Haile, Martin B
Last action: 2026-04-28
Official status: Effective date(s) 04/14/2026
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Health Care

Present law defines "practice of medicine" for purposes of regulation of medical professionals in this state.

What This Bill Does

Present law defines "practice of medicine" for purposes of regulation of medical professionals in this state.
The term specifically includes attaching certain words or abbreviations to a name, either alone or in connection with other words or abbreviati ons indicating or inducing others to believe that the person is engaged in the practice of medicine or osteopathic medicine, such as "Doctor of medicine", "M.D.", "D.O.", and "allergist", among others.
This bill adds the following additional words to the current list in present law: "clinical informatics", "lifestyle medicine", or "medical virtualist".
ON FEBRUARY 9, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1753, AS AMENDED.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

HA0721

Amendment 1-0 to HB1770

Plain English: House Health 1 Amendment No.

House Health 1 Amendment No.
1 to HB1770 Terry Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
1753* House Bill No.
1770 HA0721 014388 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

SA0465

Amendment 1-0 to SB1753

Plain English: Senate Health and Welfare 1 Amendment No.

Senate Health and Welfare 1 Amendment No.
1 to SB1753 Crowe Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
1753* House Bill No.
1770 SA0465 012603 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

2026-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly
Effective date(s) 04/14/2026
2026-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly
Pub. Ch. 697
2026-04-28 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 697
2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Governor.
2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Transmitted to Governor for action.
2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by H. Speaker
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Signed by Senate Speaker
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Enrolled and ready for signatures
2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly
Concurred, Ayes 33, Nays 0 (Amendment 1 - HA0721)
2026-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 3/30/2026
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., as am., Ayes 84, Nays 1, PNV 4
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0721)
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/23/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/19/2026
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/17/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Health Committee
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/11/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Health Subcommittee to Next Calendar
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/4/2026
2026-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 28, Nays 2, PNV 2
2026-02-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0465)
2026-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 2/9/2026
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
2026-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Health and Welfare Committee calendar for 2/4/2026
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Health Committee
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law defines "practice of medicine" for purposes of regulation of medical professionals in this state. The term specifically includes attaching certain words or abbreviations to a name, either alone or in connection with other words or abbreviati
ons indicating or inducing others to believe that the person is engaged in the practice of medicine or osteopathic medicine, such as "Doctor of medicine", "M.D.", "D.O.", and "allergist", among others.

This bill adds the following additional words to the current list in present law: "clinical informatics", "lifestyle medicine", or "medical virtualist".

ON FEBRUARY 9, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1753, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 clarifies that a person is regarded as practicing medicine or osteopathic medicine, which is prohibited without a license as described in present law, if the person determines, or causes to be determined, whether a treatment or procedure is
appropriate for the symptoms and diagnosis of such condition. However, this does not create a private right of action.

ON MARCH 23, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 1753 FOR HOUSE BILL 1770, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1753, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 clarifies that the bill (i) does not apply to a nonclinical ministerial or administrative task related to a determination of clinical appropriateness or a decision made by a state employee acting in an official capacity during a contested ca
se, and (ii) does not prohibit a person from practicing dentistry, nursing, optometry, podiatry, psychology, or any other of the healing arts in accordance with the laws of this state.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HOUSE BILL 1770
By Martin B

SENATE BILL 1753
By Haile
SB1753
011661
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63,
Chapter 6 and Title 63, Chapter 9, relative to the
practice of medicine.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-6-204(m)(1), is amended by
adding the following as new subdivisions:
(SS) "Clinical informatics";
(TT) "Lifestyle medicine"; or
(UU) "Medical virtualist";
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming law, the public welfare requiring it.