SB 174 - HB 186
FISCAL NOTE
Fiscal Review Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
February 1, 2025
Fiscal Analyst: Chris Higgins | Email: chris.higgins@capitol.tn.gov | Phone: 615-741-2564
SB 174 - HB 186
SUMMARY OF BILL: Requires the Board of Medical Examiners (BME) to register an
applicant as a registered surgical assistant if the applicant holds and maintains a current credential
issued by the American Board of Surgical Assistants. Requires the Board to register an applicant
who practiced as a surgical assistant at any time in the six months prior to July 1, 2017, if the
applicant did not already register by December 31, 2019.
FISCAL IMPACT:
NOT SIGNIFICANT
Assumptions:
• Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-6-219(a), no person shall use or assume the title
registered surgical assistant unless such person is registered with the BME as a registered
surgical assistant.
• Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. § 63-6-219(b), the BME shall register as a registered surgical
assistant any applicant who presents satisfactory evidence that the applicant:
1) Holds and maintains a current credential as a surgical assistant or surgical first
assistant issued by the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical
Assisting, the National Surgical Assistant Association, or the National Commission
for Certification of Surgical Assistants or their successors;
2) Has successfully completed a surgical assistant training program during the
applicant's service as a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United
States; or
3) Has practiced as a surgical assistant at any time in the six months prior to July 1,
2017, provided the applicant registers with the BME by December 31, 2019.
• The proposed legislation adds the American Board of Surgical Assistants to the list of
organizations whose credentials must be accepted by the BME when registering applicants,
and removes the deadline of December 31, 2019 that a surgical assistant must have
registered with the BME to be registered by means of practical experience.
• According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 1,060 surgical assistants
practicing in the state as of May 2023, the highest concentration of surgical assistants
employed in any state in the country.
• There is not estimated to be a significant increase in the number of registered surgical
assistants as a result of the proposed legislation.
• Based on information provided by the Department of Health, any impact on the revenue or
expenditures of the BME is estimated to be not significant.
SB 174 - HB 186 2
CERTIFICATION:
The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Bojan Savic, Executive Director