The following new laws enacted by the 2025 General Assembly are effective and may be of special interest to physicians since they could require action or reporting. Others are for information only. Contact the TMA Legal Department at 800-659-1862, ext. 1645 or legal@tnmed.org with any questions. This article will be updated periodically will laws effective immediately, laws effective July 1 and laws effective Jan. 1, 2026. 

LAWS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY (UPDATED May 9, 2025)

Action required by physicians

Alpha-gal Syndrome Reporting – PC 56

Alpha-gal Syndrome must be added to the list of reportable diseases by the Commissioner of Health on or before July 1, 2025. TMA’s Law Guide topic, Communicable Diseases, contains additional information and a link to the reportable diseases and conditions.  


Information only – no reporting/action required by physicians

Abortion – Exceptions Updated – PC 217

Adds additional clarity to the exception to criminal abortion by adding the definitions of “inevitable abortion” and “serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function”.  These are explained fully in TMA’s Law Guide topics titled Abortion and Abortion FAQs.

Medical Ethics Defense Act – PC 266

A physician may refuse to participate in any way in a healthcare procedure, treatment, or service that violates his/her conscience.   Any physician exercising this right is not subject to a civil cause of action, a criminal prosecution, or discriminatory action.  This right of refusal does not apply to any procedure, treatment, or service that is governed by the federal EMTALA law or for an individual who is in imminent danger of harming themselves or others.   Review the public chapter, linked above, for additional detail on this new law. 

Prior Authorization Notification – PC 125

This Tennessee law formerly required health care providers and health plans to notify a patient when additional information was requested to approve a prior authorization.  Relief for physicians and medical practices from this extremely burdensome law was a part of TMA’s 2025 legislative agenda. The legislature repealed this law so health care providers and health plans no longer must notify a patient when additional information is requested to approve a prior authorization.

LAWS EFFECTIVE JULY 1 (UPDATED June 23, 2025)

Information only – no reporting/action required by physicians

Hospital Employment of Physicians – PC 509

Hospitals in smaller, rural counties meeting specific criteria may employ radiologists, emergency physicians, anesthesiologists, and pathologists. The specific criteria are found in our Law Guide topic, Employment of Physicians.

Tennessee License Verification website – PC 100

Physicians may request removal of information from the Tennessee License Verification website related to substance use treatment or completion of a program contract for peer assistance for substance use disorder. Review our Law Guide topic, Health Care Consumer Right to Know Act.  

Treatment of Minors – PC 347

The 2024 Families’ Rights and Responsibilities Act was amended to allow a healthcare provider to take actions regarding the treatment of a minor in an emergency and treatment of a minor suspected to be a victim of brutality, neglect, abuse. Review our Law Guide topic, Minors Treatment of Guide, to fully understand these changes.