ELECTIONS AHEAD

Incumbents and challengers are gearing up for 2026 elections. Filing closed this week for the August 6 election. All House districts and the odd numbered Senate districts are up for election. In the Senate, there is 1 open seat to replace the retiring Lt. Gov. McNally, 6 primary challenges, and 5 districts where no challengers filed. On the House side, there are 11 open seats, 18 primary challenges, and 25 districts where no challengers filed.

The TMA PAC will be actively participating in the election process. This would be a great time to join the Capitol Hill Club! We appreciate in advance your early and generous contributions to the PAC as it will be a busy election year and TMA needs to be ready.

TMA FIGHTING EXPANSION OF SCOPE OF PRACTICE

TMA is 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! TMA needs your help to educate lawmakers on the risks posed to patients. All four bills are set to be heard in the Senate Health and Welfare Committee on Tuesday 3/17 and House Health Subcommittee on Wednesday 3/18.

• SB2245/HB2554 - Independent Practice for APRNs
• SB2243/HB2555 - Independent Practice for PAs
• SB2242/HB2557 - Test and Treat for Pharmacists
• SB2570/HB2315 - Psychologists Prescribing

If your Legislator serves on one of these Committees, please click the Call to Action below to send a message asking them to Oppose.

PROTECTING ACCESS TO MEDICAL CARE

TMA was able to neutralize Rep. Gino Bulso’s bill to raise the caps in civil liability damages related to alleged wrongful death claims should the abortion-inducing drugs like mifepristone and misoprostol lead to the death of an unborn child.

The bill, HB0005/SB0419, a carryover from 2025 by Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) would increase the amount of compensation an injured plaintiff or relative may receive in a civil suit to $1 million in non-economic damages and $2 million in economic damages.

John Carr, TMA's Assistant Director of Government Affairs, testified in the House Health Committee on Tuesday about the problems with the bill arguing “this bill creates a new statutory exception to Tennessee’s long-standing civil damages framework.” For the full recording of John Carr’s testimony, click here. (Time mark 22:44-26:14)

TMA worked for weeks to amend the legislation to exclude physicians, to ensure the bill did not prohibit the lawful use of mifepristone and misoprostol, and to protect the civil damages cap. The previously adopted Senate amendment was successfully adopted in the House Health Committee thanks to Rep. Bryan Terry, MD (R-Murfreesboro), leading Rep. Bulso to state that “the Senate amendment kills the bill.” Despite that declaration, the bill as amended moves on. As amended, the revised bill eliminates TMA’s opposition to the bill. TMA believes it is a fair compromise without putting a significant dent into Tennessee’s tort statute.

TMA OPPOSED BILLS DIE IN COMMITTEE

Two TMA-opposed measures died in Population Health Subcommittee this week after failing to receive a motion from Subcommittee members.

• HB0570/SB0738 as amended establishes that an unborn child at any stage of development, rather than at any stage of gestation in utero, constitutes a person for purposes of wrongful death actions. Establishes that a human embryo or fetus at any stage of development is included in certain terms defining victims of assault or homicide and that enforcement is subject to the same as would apply to the assault of a person who had been born alive.
• HB1852/SB1767 as amended would prohibit an individual, including a healthcare provider, from administering any vaccine that contains an mRNA vaccine and subject to a Class A misdemeanor. A healthcare provider who violates such a prohibition may be subject to administrative sanction or penalty up to and including revocation of the healthcare provider’s license.

Both bills directly conflict with various TMA House of Delegates policies governing reproductive care and vaccinations.

Though the government affairs team was successful in stopping these proposals, the bills are just two of many that TMA’s Legislative Committee has identified as issues to actively oppose this session. In the coming weeks, members may receive calls-to-action asking them to contact their lawmakers to request they vote against these measures. Ensure your voice is heard by registering to receive these communications at tnmed.org/actionalerts. You can also help support TMA’s advocacy efforts by becoming a key grassroots contact. By letting us know which legislators you have personal relationships with, we can leverage those relationships into legislative action, and activate our members more effectively when important votes arise.