Tennessee Senate Bill SB1170

Tennessee 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/31/23

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 33; Title 49; Title 53; Title 55; Title 56; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to healthcare professions.

Impact

The amendment proposed by SB1170 is expected to affect the licensing and regulatory processes for healthcare professionals in Tennessee. By extending the waiting period slightly, the bill seeks to enhance the administrative efficiency of the review process for applications or renewals. However, the actual impact on the healthcare workforce might be minimal given the short duration of the change, though it may contribute to slightly slower onboarding processes for new professionals.

Summary

Senate Bill 1170 aims to amend various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to healthcare professions. The primary focus of the bill is to modify the waiting period for healthcare professionals, specifically by increasing the existing timeframe from sixty (60) days to sixty-five (65) days. This change could impact how quickly healthcare providers can transition into practice in the state, which may have implications for the availability of healthcare services.

Sentiment

General sentiment surrounding SB1170 appears to be neutral, given the minor nature of the amendment. While there is no strong opposition or support reported, stakeholders in the healthcare sector are likely to have varying degrees of opinion based on how this change affects their operational timelines. Most discussions seem to focus on administrative efficiency rather than significant implications for healthcare delivery.

Contention

While specific points of contention were not heavily documented, the increase in the waiting period could be seen as unnecessary by some who advocate for a more expedited process for licensing healthcare professionals. Critics may argue that any delay in onboarding could affect the overall delivery of care, especially in areas suffering from workforce shortages. However, such concerns have not been prominent in the discussions surrounding the bill.