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SB1966 • 2026

Health Care

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38 and Title 63, relative to criminal background checks.

Healthcare
Active

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

Sponsor
Seal, Hicks G
Last action
2026-02-05
Official status
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific consequences for failing a background check, nor does it specify the frequency of renewals beyond every time they occur.

Health Care Background Checks

This bill requires medical professionals in Tennessee to undergo criminal background checks when renewing their licenses.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires persons licensed to practice medicine, nursing, and osteopathic medicine to submit to a criminal background check at every license renewal.
  • The person seeking to renew their license must pay for the cost of the background check.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Doctors who need to renew their medical licenses in Tennessee
  • Nurses who need to renew their nursing licenses in Tennessee
  • Osteopathic physicians who need to renew their osteopathic medicine licenses in Tennessee

Terms To Know

Criminal background check
A review of a person's criminal history.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify the consequences if someone fails the background check.
  • It is unclear how often these checks will be conducted for each type of license renewal beyond the requirement at every renewal.
  • There are no details on how the information from the background checks will be used.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c Health Subcommittee of Health Committee

  2. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee

  4. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  5. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Health Subcommittee

  6. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Health Committee

  7. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  8. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  9. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law requires (i) persons licensed to practice medicine and nursing to biennially apply for a renewal of licensure and (ii) registered osteopathic physicians to renew their license annually. This bill requires persons seeking to renew licenses to
practice medicine, professional or registered nursing licenses, and licenses to practice osteopathic medicine to submit to a criminal background check at every license renewal. Any costs associated with the background check must be paid by the person se
ek
ing to renew their license.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1828
By Hicks G

SENATE BILL 1966
By Seal
SB1966
011371
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38
and Title 63, relative to criminal background
checks.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-6-210, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(g)
(1) The board shall initiate a criminal background check, utilizing a
method as described in § 63-1-116(a)(1), for each person licensed to practice
medicine pursuant to this chapter upon application for a renewal of licensure.
(2) Any cost associated with the required background check must be
paid by the applicant. Payments of costs required to be made by the Tennessee
bureau of investigation must be made in accordance with §§ 38-6-103 and 38-6-
109.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-7-114, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(g)
(1) The board shall initiate a criminal background check, utilizing a
method as described in § 63-1-116(a)(1), for each licensed professional nurse,
registered nurse, and licensed practical nurse upon application for a renewal of
licensure.
(2) Any cost associated with the required background check must be
paid by the applicant. Payments of costs required to be made by the Tennessee

- 2 - 011371

bureau of investigation must be made in accordance with §§ 38-6-103 and 38-6-
109.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-9-107, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(f)
(1) The board shall initiate a criminal background check, utilizing a
method as described in § 63-1-116(a)(1), for each person licensed to practice
osteopathic medicine pursuant to this chapter upon application for a renewal of
licensure.
(2) Any cost associated with the required background check must be
paid by the applicant. Payments of costs required to be made by the Tennessee
bureau of investigation must be made in accordance with §§ 38-6-103 and 38-6-
109.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to applications for a renewal of licensure on or after that date.