With the 2026 election match-ups set and committees starting to wind down, lawmakers can begin dispatching bills from the docket. Just this week, the Senate Judiciary Chair announced he was deferring 10 controversial bills to next year, effectively killing them. They include bills to not recognize same-sex marriage, discrimination on sexual orientation, easing criminal penalties for carrying a firearm into buildings with signage prohibiting them, and authorizing all firearms not just handguns to be carried everywhere.

A bill to prohibit pride flags from being displayed on state owned property failed in Senate State and Local Government Committee. Another bill was defeated in the Senate Energy Committee, the latest effort to bar water utilities from adding fluoride to the drinking supply.

Five of the nine Senate Standing Committees have finished business for the session: Education; Energy, Ag, and Natural Resources; Judiciary; State and Local Government; and Transportation and Safety.

Governor Bill Lee’s supplemental budget amendment was sent to the Legislature this week which sent the strongest signals that we are approaching the end of the legislative session. The budget is expected to be brought to a vote in both floors on April 15. It is a $230 million proposal. Tennessee general fund revenues fell $12.5 million short of projections in February, though the surplus still stood at $99 million through the first seven months of the budget year. Sales taxes were up 3.8% for the year to date and corporate franchise and excise taxes grew 10.5% compared with the same period last year.

While political insiders are logging their guesses and legislators anxious to get back to the campaign trail, the legislative session seems certain to adjourn by the third week of April.

TMA and the Fight to Expand Scope of Practice

TMA has been working with its multi-specialty partners in the Coalition for Collaborative Care to oppose multiple bills this session that would expand mid-level provider scope of practice. While all members of the care team are vital, they are not equivalent in the depth and breadth of physician education. Patient safety should not be compromised! The last bills were dispatched with this week.

SB2242/HB2557 Test and Treat for Pharmacists was taken off notice. Thank you to Dr. Michelle Cochran who testified in Committee on SB1064/HB1160 dealing with mandatory informed consent and reporting requirements for physicians who prescribe psychotropic medications. That bill failed in House Health Subcommittee this week on a vote of 3-5. Dr. Cochran was also prepared to testify on SB2570/HB2315, pertaining to psychologists prescribing, but the bill was taken off notice due to lack of support.

TMA Priority Legislation

One of TMA’s priority bills, the medical necessity determination bill, passed on the House floor this week with a vote of 84-1. Representative Gabby Salinas (D-Memphis) was the only lawmaker to vote no. As amended, SB1753/HB1770 by Sen. Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin) and Rep. Brock Martin (R-Huntingdon) updates Tennessee statute governing medical practice to keep pace with emerging technologies and healthcare delivery models and clarifies that medical doctors and osteopathic physicians may determine the appropriateness of treatments or procedures for patient conditions. This bill will ensure that ALL physicians are governed by the same standard of care criteria when making medical necessity determinations.

Since the bill was amended on the House side, it will go back to the Senate floor for concurrence, where it passed on Feb. 9.

TMA’s other two bills, on health insurer downcoding and TennCare reimbursement rates, are in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee which is not meeting again next week. On the House side, both bills are set to be heard in the House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee on April 1.

The TMA PAC will be actively participating in the election process. Incumbents and challengers are already gearing up for 2026 elections. We need you! The TMA PAC must have the funds to defend The House of Medicine before the August primary. Our first campaign finance reporting deadline is March 31, 2026! That public report shows the outside world if we will have the funds to fight. If you have not already, we ask that you join our TMA PAC with a contribution today.