Tennessee Senate Bill SB2814

Tennessee 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/1/24

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 38; Title 50; Title 56 and Title 63, relative to law enforcement officers.

Impact

The enactment of SB2814 is expected to enhance coordination between law enforcement and emergency medical services, potentially leading to improved outcomes in emergency situations where epinephrine is administered. By establishing a requirement for documentation, the bill seeks to create a more systematic approach to recording and analyzing these incidents, which could facilitate better training and preparedness among law enforcement personnel for handling medical emergencies.

Summary

Senate Bill 2814 aims to amend various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated, specifically targeting regulations related to law enforcement officers and their use of epinephrine during medical emergencies. The bill mandates that any law enforcement officer who administers epinephrine must file a record of the incident with the appropriate local emergency medical services agency. This record is required to include the signs, symptoms, therapies, response, and disposition of the event, thereby ensuring that proper documentation is maintained for emergency medical responses conducted by law enforcement.

Contention

One potential area of contention related to SB2814 may stem from concerns about the administrative burden placed on law enforcement officers in documenting each instance of epinephrine administration. While the intention is to improve emergency response, some may argue that the added responsibility could distract from their primary duties. Moreover, there could be discussions regarding the adequacy of training provided to law enforcement officers on the proper administration of epinephrine and the recording process, especially if the training is not sufficiently robust.