Official Summary Text
This bill authorizes an individual 18 or older ("person") to bring a civil action to recover compensatory damages, punitive damages, and reasonable attorney fees, court costs, and expenses against a healthcare professional for an injury that is a result
of a medical procedure, if both of the following criteria are met:
The medical procedure was for the purpose of enabling the person to identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the person's sex or treating purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the person's sex and asserted identity. As used in this provision, "sex" means a person's immutable characteristics of the reproductive system that define the individual as male or female, as determined by anatomy and genetics existing at the time of birth.
The person consented, or if the person was a minor at the time of the medical procedure, the person's parent, guardian, or legal representative consented, in whole or in part, due to an act of coercion by the healthcare professional.
"MEDICAL PROCEDURE" DEFINED
As used in this bill, a "medical procedure" means (i) surgically removing, modifying, altering, or entering into tissues, cavities, or organs of a human being; or (ii) prescribing, administering, or dispensing any puberty blocker or hormone to a human be
ing.
STATUE OF LIMITATIONS FOR CIVIL ACTIONS
If the medical procedure occurred before the effective date of this bill, this bill requires a civil action described above to be brought in accordance with present law, which generally has a statute of limitations of one to three years. However, if the
medical procedure occurs on or after the effective date of this bill, then a civil action described above must be brought no later than 18 years after the later of (i) the date the medical procedure occurred or (ii) if the injury was not known to the per
so
n at the time of the medical procedure, the date the person first obtained knowledge of the injury that resulted from the medical procedure.
ON MARCH 23, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2031, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 makes the following revisions:
Clarifies that "medical procedure," as used and defined in the bill summary, does not include therapies to treat a minor's congenital defect, precocious puberty, disease, or physical injury.
Defines "coercion," as used in the bill summary, to mean the same as generally defined for criminal offenses, which is a threat, however communicated, to commit an offense; wrongfully accuse a person of an offense; expose a person to hatred, contempt or ridicule; harm the credit or business repute of a person; or take or withhold action as a public servant or cause a public servant to take or withhold action.
Provides that a civil action must be brought no later than 18 years after the later of the date the medical procedure occurred, or, if the injury was not known to the person at the time of the medical procedure, the date the person first obtained knowledge of the injury that resulted from the medical procedure.
Removes that if the medical procedure occurred before the effective date of the bill, then a civil action must be brought in accordance with present law, which generally has a statute of limitations of one to three years.
Clarifies that the bill applies to causes of action arising on or after the date that the bill becomes a law.
ON APRIL 2, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 2031 FOR HOUSE BILL 1872, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2031, AS AMENDED.
AMENDMENT #1 clarifies that, if the medical procedure occurs on or after the date that the bill becomes a law, then such an action must either be brought (i) within 30 years from the date the minor reaches 18 or (ii) within 10 years of the minor's death
if the minor dies.
ON APRIL 6, 2026, SENATE CONCURRED IN HOUSE AMENDMENT #1.
Current Bill Text
Read the full stored bill text
HOUSE BILL 1872
By Zachary
SENATE BILL 2031
By Lowe
SB2031
011157
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AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29;
Title 63 and Title 68, relative to private causes of
action.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 29, Chapter 26, is amended by adding
the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Healthcare professional" means an individual, establishment, or
facility licensed, registered, certified, or permitted to provide health care to
individuals in this state pursuant to title 63 or 68 and under the regulatory
authority of:
(A) The department of health;
(B) An agency, board, council, or committee attached to the
department of health; or
(C) The health facilities commission;
(2) "Medical procedure" means:
(A) Surgically removing, modifying, altering, or entering into
tissues, cavities, or organs of a human being; or
(B) Prescribing, administering, or dispensing any puberty blocker
or hormone to a human being;
(3) ''Minor'' means an individual under eighteen (18) years of age;
(4) "Person" means an individual eighteen (18) years of age or older; and
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(5) "Sex" means a person's immutable characteristics of the reproductive
system that define the individual as male or female, as determined by anatomy
and genetics existing at the time of birth.
(b) A person may bring a civil action to recover compensatory damages, punitive
damages, and reasonable attorney fees, court costs, and expenses against a healthcare
professional for an injury that is a result of a medical procedure, if:
(1) The medical procedure was for the purpose of enabling the person to
identify with, or live as, a purported identity inconsistent with the person's sex or
treating purported discomfort or distress from a discordance between the
person's sex and asserted identity; and
(2) The person consented, or if the person was a minor at the time of the
medical procedure, the person's parent, guardian, or legal representative
consented, in whole or in part, due to an act of coercion by the healthcare
professional.
(c) A civil action brought pursuant to subsection (b) must be brought:
(1) If the medical procedure occurred before the effective date of this act,
pursuant to this part; or
(2) If the medical procedure occurs on or after the effective date of this
act, then notwithstanding §§ 28-3-104 and 29-26-116, no later than eighteen (18)
years after the later of:
(A) The date the medical procedure occurred; or
(B) If the injury was not known to the person at the time of the
medical procedure, the date the person first obtained knowledge of the
injury that resulted from the medical procedure.
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SECTION 2. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance
is held invalid, then the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the act that
can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end, the provisions of
this act are severable.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.