[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6422918,"mediaKeyId","2765056-cbc5aa8d4be48c659d339f5dcc12d123","parentId",2765056,"title","Votes at a glance: House Health Full Committee advances a slate of health bills to calendar and rules","audioSeconds",4430,"startMs",811000,"endMs",5241000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2765056-cbc5aa8d4be48c659d339f5dcc12d123&start=811&end=5241","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2765056-cbc5aa8d4be48c659d339f5dcc12d123/thumbnail_811000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6422918/Votes-at-a-glance-House-Health-Full-Committee-advances-a-slate-of-health-bills-to-calendar-and-rules","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6422918-9c937ee03b38e6ae81eff888334c4d78/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447544&Signature=hdwvQ9QUWgSy-a61EA1IgYJ1HMmYOJ4iidtksSP9fEzxgttoR3Ll3wV1Opazfb0GzDccWWSlgBnqt8oZmPlxbsBVNn05wxNUdcQXSaMTOqUCRBwRiJP9kTktjwZQNYdHZO~7YpUnAsKI-c2E9TiEn8mONHKTQp-Z8lInsSAlskWtF9Mc7iNl-ry~jyv34fhdyyxXHDaRYTqdojQ7eucYoBbpJbUx99ppKfLXgwVlSj5eA6VekBdRt-g~RPGUhRrqdNhTe0ey7g02ec~hkHTzhfNKgcPzNFEeVglk6r0bTo~UBAt2d56Iv4xu23ZMDdGDN2BmQLZY8xhf-4at6tyPSg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-03-25T00:00:00Z","article","The House Health Full Committee disposed of several bills on the agenda and advanced them to calendar and rules or the next committee with recorded committee votes. Below are summaries and committee vote tallies drawn from the committee record.

Votes at a glance

- House Bill 533 (Fertility Treatment and Contraceptive Protection Act). Sponsor: Chairlady Rutter. Committee action: Passed as amended; moved to calendar and rules. Vote: 22 ayes, 0 nays. (Introduced on the record and amendment 3691 adopted.)

- House Bill 1310 (Environmental health code modernization). Sponsor: Representative Elton Haines. Summary: Modernizes environmental health statutes, allows some rulemaking flexibility for food safety code, changes campground/pool/bed-and-breakfast inspection rules, and limits fee increases by amendment to 3% per year (5% over five years). Committee action: Passed as amended; moved to Government Operations. Vote: 24 ayes, 0 nays.

- House Joint Resolution 149 (Make Tennessee Healthy Again). Sponsor: Representative Linn. Summary: A nonbinding resolution encouraging healthy lifestyles. Committee action: Passed; moved to calendar and rules. Vote: 24 ayes, 0 nays.

- House Bill 1280 (Medical Expense Relief Fund). Sponsor: Representative Hill. Summary: Creates a state fund to limit TennCare estate recoveries; fiscal estimate under review. Committee action: Passed; moved to Government Operations. Vote: 21 ayes, 3 nays.

- House Bill 495 (Hospital records electronic fee). Sponsor: Chairman Baum. Summary: Sets a $90 flat fee for electronic copies of hospital records requested by a patient’s representative (distinct from federal reasonable‑cost rules for patients requesting their own records). Committee action: Passed as amended; moved to calendar and rules. Vote: 23 ayes, 0 nays.

- House Bill 830 (Medical Cannabis Commission appointments and duties). Sponsor: Chairman Baum. Summary: Reconstitutes gubernatorial appointments to the Medical Cannabis Commission and allows the commission to make policy recommendations in light of potential federal rescheduling. Committee action: Passed; moved to calendar and rules. Vote: 22 ayes, 0 nays, 1 present not voting.

- House Bill 1044 (Medical Ethics Defense Act). Committee action: Passed; moved to calendar and rules. Vote: 16 ayes, 5 nays, 1 present not voting. (See separate article for full coverage.)

- House Bill 510 (Physician shortage data collection). Sponsor: Chairman Clemens. Summary: Resolution directing the Department of Health to compile information about physician shortages for future policymaking. Committee action: Passed; moved to calendar and rules. Vote: 22 ayes, 0 nays.

- House Bill 203 (Nurse practitioner survey). Sponsor: Chairman Terry. Summary: Requires Board of Nursing to survey nurse practitioners who hold certain certificates and report by Jan. 15, 2026. Committee action: Passed; moved to calendar and rules. Vote: 23 ayes, 0 nays.

- House Bill 1201 (Provisional licenses for international medical graduates expanded). Sponsor: Chairman Kumar. Summary: Expands eligible training sites for graduates with provisional licenses so they can train at FQHCs, community clinics and specialty sites; aims to increase physician recruitment. Committee action: Passed as amended; moved to calendar and rules. Vote: 21 ayes, 0 nays.

Procedure notes: Several bills were amended on the committee floor with amendments adopted by voice vote before recorded roll-call votes. Two bills were rolled to a future calendar: House Bill 1203 (item rolled) and House Bill 387 (rolled).

Next steps: Bills advanced to calendar and rules or forwarded to Government Operations will be scheduled for further consideration by House leadership and subsequent committees as applicable.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Health Committee Mar 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The House Health Full Committee advanced multiple bills to calendar and rules during a single session. Most passed unanimously or with wide margins. This roundup lists each bill considered, the committee action and the recorded vote totals where provided.","taxTitle","taxId",0,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6422954,"Committee advances bill to create medical-expense relief fund to limit TennCare estate recoveries; fiscal estimate draws scrutiny",580,962000,1542000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2765056-cbc5aa8d4be48c659d339f5dcc12d123&start=962&end=1542","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2765056-cbc5aa8d4be48c659d339f5dcc12d123/thumbnail_962000.jpg","/articles/6422954/Committee-advances-bill-to-create-medical-expense-relief-fund-to-limit-TennCare-estate-recoveries-fiscal-estimate-draws-scrutiny","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6422954-42af3eecd78f20b67d23e44350da9485/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447544&Signature=a9TGzaHq1jTO6w3GHcgKJ0gckK7h9K67PGyE~Dr5adXEGMFjWTZHo6d1IBGaGEZ08SG77Wx4EGnw~zlk9TyEk64x~fGEz0U~byCiD~WSYS7-FthTmU4UUjrJi9QgCi0tq1YaTkNSRG8y-A3GYBGVJ-sNutOXXp05Y1Q1muVnUXO4XTK6B8RbB9yl6yz2ekN1BzB2RJz9YbZ6-6Tc0lLIzvAdoFUg09oqfhDPfa2TFSEvQD7TgVy7zE4k8C9i-UVGHDPaWl2cUEjfbtOr5zC4qAyOjqhVPRdrv2pT0gN0dXG5WsbZrg5-kuqO~QN5j~4cNReOELPkkgnQ2Hm6vIGE~w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health Full Committee voted 21-3 to advance House Bill 12 80, which would create a medical expense relief fund intended to limit TennCare’s estate recovery from the survivors of beneficiaries.

Sponsor Representative Hill said the bill is intended to provide an “exit ramp” so TennCare can meet federal recovery requirements while protecting the family home as a generational asset. Hill told the committee that TennCare currently recovers roughly $30–$35 million a year but that the bill’s fiscal note lists a much larger sum. “Our fiscal note is sitting at $250,000,000, which is significant,” Hill said, and he said lawmakers would work to refine the fiscal note if the bill moves forward.

Committee members expressed sympathy for families but also raised policy concerns. Some lawmakers warned the relief fund could make Tennessee a more attractive destination for people seeking to shield estates from recovery, and that could increase program costs. Chairman Williams and others urged further discussion about using TennCare shared-savings funds or other state resources to cover the program if enacted.

Representative Hill said the intent is to satisfy federal obligations while easing the burden on families who may have limited assets. The committee approved the bill and moved it to government operations for further review of fiscal and implementation details.

Discussion vs. Decision: The committee debated policy, fiscal impacts and potential funding sources, then took a formal recorded vote to advance the bill. No final funding mechanism was adopted in committee; the fiscal note will be subject to follow-up work in subsequent committees.

Next steps: HB 12 80 moves to the Government Operations Committee for further consideration and fiscal review.","House Bill 1280, creating a medical expense relief fund to limit TennCare estate recoveries, passed the House Health Full Committee 21-3 after debate over fiscal cost and whether the policy would encourage in‑migration to Tennessee.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6422982,"House Health committee advances Medical Ethics Defense Act after hours of testimony",2195,2183000,4378000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2765056-cbc5aa8d4be48c659d339f5dcc12d123&start=2183&end=4378","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2765056-cbc5aa8d4be48c659d339f5dcc12d123/thumbnail_2183000.jpg","/articles/6422982/House-Health-committee-advances-Medical-Ethics-Defense-Act-after-hours-of-testimony","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6422982-0abd85c1e47a4087947397272967af77/orig.mp4?Expires=1770447544&Signature=m2fqpuD2qC9rTOlFlPvU9z8K99K21W4w9ExKOGquhhjKpBwdjVEHXmxQwTlsK-2Qk7wGB3d8YxO~ZWtLcwyVWPyJEAals7pcDgIBZxYfdSJzAbYY~mAUUtfMsHgPRum6zkzVM5Aew9j5HzJO2IwoCOrzA0jTNKoglmrS6Ifm~Cij0uEFwUbn5SHRYh1ELDT7OKg0LcCYFdo8tbiOnScAeFpltAHm9LGlxpkdAs0bkUWBhXEnaB02POv6T8VdIqhRD-BDLJhNqGjxasW7IBNXFcf84Yp7yCnO~Pi5atZvr1G09kMD~F0-tewfpQhwvEKqnr64idYGYB4tLljXqX9izw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health Full Committee advanced House Bill 1044, the Medical Ethics Defense Act, to calendar and rules by a 16-5 vote (one present, not voting) after more than an hour of public testimony and committee questions.

The bill, sponsored in committee by Chairman Brian Terry, would create statutory protections for “conscience” objections by physicians, nurses, pharmacists and medical students. As amended, the measure excludes procedures governed by federal law, such as the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), and it would not apply when a patient is in imminent danger of harming themselves or others. The bill also includes whistleblower protections and a provision that prevents a government entity from taking action against a health-care provider for exercising protected speech.

Supporters framed the bill as a guardrail for clinicians who say they are being pressured to participate in procedures that violate their deeply held moral, ethical or religious beliefs. “The Christian Medical Association strongly supports HB 10 44,” said Dr. Michael Chupp, CEO of the Christian Medical Association, during testimony. Attorney Greg Chafwin of Alliance Defending Freedom argued the law mirrors protections in several other states and said the measure would allow clinicians to continue practicing without being forced to violate conscience rights.

Opponents, including physicians who testified, said the bill’s language is too broad and could undermine patient trust and continuity of care. “This bill will not heal moral injury present in our health care system,” said Dr. Amy Gordon Bono, a Tennessee primary care physician, who urged lawmakers to focus on systemic issues that impede clinicians’ ability to provide care.

Committee members questioned how the bill would work in areas with few clinicians and whether it could exacerbate access problems. Several members raised concerns about vagueness in the bill’s definitions and the possibility of physicians declining to provide certain treatments on conscience grounds even when access is limited.

After debate and a recorded vote, the committee approved the bill 16-5, with one member recorded as present not voting. The bill now moves to calendar and rules for further consideration by the full House.

Discussion vs. Decision: The committee held an extended discussion with multiple outside witnesses and then took a formal recorded vote to advance the bill. No additional amendments were adopted in the final committee vote beyond the amendment described on the record.

Next steps: HB 1044 proceeds to the House calendar and rules committee for scheduling to a full House floor vote.","The House Health Full Committee voted 16-5 to advance House Bill 1044, the Medical Ethics Defense Act, after several hours of testimony from physicians, medical organizations and legal advocates. Supporters said the measure protects clinicians’ conscience rights; opponents warned it could harm patient trust and complicate access to care.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: House Health Full Committee advances a slate of health bills to calendar and rules

Committee advances bill to create medical-expense relief fund to limit TennCare estate recoveries; fiscal estimate draws scrutiny

House Health committee advances Medical Ethics Defense Act after hours of testimony