Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

Tennessee Senate Bill SB0640 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1
2	2	HOUSE BILL 598
3	3	By Freeman
4	4
5	5	SENATE BILL 640
6	6	By Campbell
7	7
8	8
9	9	SB0640
10	10	000775
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12	12
13	13	AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 32;
14	14	Title 39; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68, relative to
15	15	vulnerable persons.
16	16
17	17	BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
18	18	SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 11, is amended by adding
19	19	the following language as a new part:
20	20	68-11-2401. Part definitions.
21	21	As used in this part:
22	22	(1) ''Adult'' means an individual who is eighteen (18) years of age or
23	23	older;
24	24	(2) ''Attending physician'' means the physician who has primary
25	25	responsibility for the care of the patient and treatment of the patient's terminal
26	26	disease;
27	27	(3) ''Capable'' means that in the opinion of a court or in the opinion of the
28	28	patient's attending physician, consulting physician, psychiatrist, or psychologist, a
29	29	patient has the ability to make and communicate healthcare decisions to
30	30	healthcare providers, including communication through persons familiar with the
31	31	patient's manner of communicating if those persons are available;
32	32	(4) ''Consulting physician'' means a physician who is qualified by
33	33	specialty or experience to make a professional diagnosis and prognosis
34	34	regarding the patient's disease;
35	35	(5) ''Counseling'' means one (1) or more consultations as necessary
36	36	between a psychiatrist licensed pursuant to title 63, chapter 6, or psychologist
37	37
38	38
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41	41	licensed pursuant to title 63, chapter 11, and a patient for the purpose of
42	42	determining that the patient is capable and not suffering from a psychiatric or
43	43	psychological disorder or depression causing impaired judgment;
44	44	(6) ''Department'' means the department of health;
45	45	(7) ''Healthcare facility'' means any institution, place, or building providing
46	46	healthcare services that is required to be licensed under this chapter;
47	47	(8) ''Healthcare provider'' means a person licensed, certified, or otherwise
48	48	authorized or permitted by the law of this state to administer health care or
49	49	dispense medication in the ordinary course of business or practice of a
50	50	profession, and includes a healthcare facility;
51	51	(9) ''Informed decision'' means a decision by a qualified patient to request
52	52	and obtain a prescription to end the patient's life in a humane and dignified
53	53	manner that is based on an appreciation of the relevant facts and after being fully
54	54	informed by the attending physician of:
55	55	(A) The patient's medical diagnosis;
56	56	(B) The patient's prognosis;
57	57	(C) The potential risks associated with taking the medication to be
58	58	prescribed;
59	59	(D) The probable result of taking the medication to be prescribed;
60	60	and
61	61	(E) The feasible alternatives, including comfort care, hospice
62	62	care, and pain control;
63	63	(10) ''Medically confirmed'' means the medical opinion of the attending
64	64	physician has been confirmed by a consulting physician who has examined the
65	65	patient and the patient's relevant medical records;
66	66
67	67
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70	70	(11) ''Patient'' means a person who is under the care of a physician;
71	71	(12) ''Physician'' means a doctor of medicine licensed to practice
72	72	medicine by the board of medical examiners pursuant to title 63, chapter 6, or
73	73	doctor of osteopathy licensed to practice by the board of osteopathic examination
74	74	pursuant to title 63, chapter 9;
75	75	(13) ''Qualified patient'' means a capable adult who is a resident of this
76	76	state and has satisfied the requirements of this part in order to obtain a
77	77	prescription for medication to end the adult's life in a humane and dignified
78	78	manner; and
79	79	(14) ''Terminal disease'' means an incurable and irreversible disease that
80	80	has been medically confirmed and will, within reasonable medical judgment,
81	81	produce death within six (6) months.
82	82	68-11-2402. Initiation of written request for medication.
83	83	(a) An adult who is capable, is a resident of this state, and has been determined
84	84	by an attending physician and a consulting physician to be suffering from a terminal
85	85	disease, and who has voluntarily expressed the wish to die, may make a written request
86	86	for medication for the purpose of ending the adult's life in a humane and dignified
87	87	manner in accordance with this part.
88	88	(b) A person does not qualify under this part solely because of age or disability.
89	89	68-11-2403. Form of written request.
90	90	(a) A valid request for medication under this part must be substantially in the
91	91	form described in § 68-11-2421, signed and dated by the patient and witnessed by at
92	92	least two (2) individuals who, in the presence of the patient, attest that to the best of their
93	93	knowledge and belief the patient is capable, acting voluntarily, and is not being coerced
94	94	to sign the request.
95	95
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99	99	(b) One (1) of the witnesses must be a person who is not:
100	100	(1) A relative of the patient by blood, marriage, or adoption;
101	101	(2) A person who at the time the request is signed would be entitled to
102	102	any portion of the estate of the qualified patient upon death under a will, if known,
103	103	or by operation of law; or
104	104	(3) An owner, operator, or employee of a healthcare facility where the
105	105	qualified patient is receiving medical treatment or is a resident.
106	106	(c) The patient's attending physician at the time the request is signed must not
107	107	be a witness.
108	108	(d) If the patient is a patient in a long-term care facility at the time the written
109	109	request is made, then one (1) of the witnesses must be an individual designated by the
110	110	facility. The department shall promulgate rules governing the qualifications of an
111	111	individual designated as a witness by a long-term care facility pursuant to this subsection
112	112	(d). Rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative
113	113	Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.
114	114	68-11-2404. Attending physician responsibilities.
115	115	(a) The attending physician shall:
116	116	(1) Make the initial determination of whether a patient has a terminal
117	117	disease, is capable, and has made the request voluntarily;
118	118	(2) Ensure that the patient is making an informed decision by informing
119	119	the patient of:
120	120	(A) The patient's medical diagnosis;
121	121	(B) The patient's prognosis;
122	122	(C) The potential risks associated with taking the medication to be
123	123	prescribed;
124	124
125	125
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128	128	(D) The probable result of taking the medication to be prescribed;
129	129	and
130	130	(E) The feasible alternatives, including comfort care, hospice
131	131	care, and pain control;
132	132	(3) Refer the patient to a consulting physician for medical confirmation of
133	133	the diagnosis and for a determination that the patient is capable and acting
134	134	voluntarily;
135	135	(4) Refer the patient for counseling, if appropriate, pursuant to § 68-11-
136	136	2406;
137	137	(5) Recommend that the patient notify next of kin;
138	138	(6) Counsel the patient about the importance of having another person
139	139	present when the patient takes the medication prescribed pursuant to this part
140	140	and of not taking the medication in a public place;
141	141	(7) Inform the patient that the patient has an opportunity to rescind the
142	142	request at any time and in any manner, and offer the patient an opportunity to
143	143	rescind at the time the patient makes the patient's second oral request pursuant
144	144	to § 68-11-2409;
145	145	(8) Verify, immediately prior to writing the prescription for medication
146	146	under this part, that the patient is making an informed decision;
147	147	(9) Fulfill the medical record documentation requirements of § 68-11-
148	148	2412;
149	149	(10) Ensure that all appropriate steps are carried out in accordance with
150	150	this part prior to writing a prescription for medication to enable a qualified patient
151	151	to end the patient's life in a humane and dignified manner; and
152	152	(11)
153	153
154	154
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157	157	(A) Dispense medications directly, including ancillary medications
158	158	intended to facilitate the desired effect to minimize the patient's
159	159	discomfort. The attending physician must be registered as a dispensing
160	160	physician with the board of pharmacy and the board of medical examiners
161	161	or the board of osteopathic examination, have a current drug enforcement
162	162	administration certificate, and comply with any applicable rule; or
163	163	(B) With the patient's written consent:
164	164	(i) Contact a pharmacist and inform the pharmacist of the
165	165	prescription; and
166	166	(ii) Deliver the written prescription personally or by mail to
167	167	the pharmacist, who will dispense the medications to the patient,
168	168	the attending physician, or an expressly identified agent of the
169	169	patient.
170	170	(b) Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the attending physician may sign the
171	171	patient's death certificate.
172	172	68-11-2405. Consulting physician confirmation.
173	173	Before a patient is qualified under this part, a consulting physician shall examine
174	174	the patient and the patient's relevant medical records. The consulting physician shall
175	175	confirm, in writing, the attending physician's diagnosis that the patient is suffering from a
176	176	terminal disease and verify that the patient is capable, is acting voluntarily, and has
177	177	made an informed decision.
178	178	68-11-2406. Counseling referral.
179	179	If, in the opinion of the attending physician or the consulting physician, a patient
180	180	may be suffering from a psychiatric or psychological disorder or depression causing
181	181	impaired judgment, either physician must refer the patient for counseling. Medication to
182	182
183	183
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185	185
186	186	end a patient's life in a humane and dignified manner must not be prescribed until the
187	187	person performing the counseling determines that the patient is not suffering from a
188	188	psychiatric or psychological disorder or depression causing impaired judgment.
189	189	68-11-2407. Informed decision.
190	190	A person must not receive a prescription for medication to end the person's life in
191	191	a humane and dignified manner unless the person has made an informed decision.
192	192	Immediately prior to writing a prescription for medication under this part, the attending
193	193	physician shall verify that the patient is making an informed decision.
194	194	68-11-2408. Family notification.
195	195	The attending physician shall recommend that the patient notify the next of kin of
196	196	the patient's request for medication pursuant to this part. A patient who declines or is
197	197	unable to notify next of kin must not have the patient's request denied for that reason.
198	198	68-11-2409. Written and oral requests.
199	199	(a) In order for a qualified patient to receive a prescription for medication to end
200	200	the patient's life in a humane and dignified manner, a qualified patient must:
201	201	(1) Make an initial oral request to the patient's attending physician;
202	202	(2) Make a written request to the patient's attending physician; and
203	203	(3) Make a second oral request to the patient's attending physician no
204	204	less than fifteen (15) days after making the initial oral request.
205	205	(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), if the qualified patient's attending physician
206	206	has medically confirmed that the qualified patient will, within reasonable medical
207	207	judgment, die within fifteen (15) days after making the initial oral request under this
208	208	section, then the qualified patient may reiterate the oral request to the attending
209	209	physician at any time after making the initial oral request.
210	210
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214	214	(c) At the time the qualified patient makes the second oral request, the attending
215	215	physician shall offer the patient an opportunity to rescind the request.
216	216	68-11-2410. Right to rescind request.
217	217	A patient may rescind a request at any time and in any manner without regard to
218	218	the patient's mental state. A prescription for medication under this part must not be
219	219	written without the attending physician offering the qualified patient an opportunity to
220	220	rescind the request.
221	221	68-11-2411. Waiting periods.
222	222	(a) No less than fifteen (15) days shall elapse between the patient's initial oral
223	223	request pursuant to § 68-11-2409(a)(1) and the writing of a prescription under this part.
224	224	(b) No less than forty-eight (48) hours shall elapse between the patient's written
225	225	request pursuant to § 68-11-2409(a)(2) and the writing of a prescription under this part.
226	226	(c) Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), if the qualified patient's attending
227	227	physician has medically confirmed that the qualified patient will, within reasonable
228	228	medical judgment, die before the expiration of at least one (1) of the waiting periods
229	229	described in subsections (a) and (b), then the prescription for medication under this part
230	230	may be written at any time following the latter of the qualified patient's written request or
231	231	second oral request under § 68-11-2409.
232	232	68-11-2412. Medical record documentation requirements.
233	233	The following must be documented or filed in the patient's medical record:
234	234	(1) All oral requests by a patient for medication to end the patient's life in
235	235	a humane and dignified manner;
236	236	(2) All written requests by a patient for medication to end the patient's life
237	237	in a humane and dignified manner;
238	238
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242	242	(3) The attending physician's diagnosis, prognosis, and determination
243	243	that the patient is capable, acting voluntarily, and has made an informed
244	244	decision;
245	245	(4) The consulting physician's diagnosis, prognosis, and verification that
246	246	the patient is capable, acting voluntarily, and has made an informed decision;
247	247	(5) A report of the outcome and determinations made during counseling,
248	248	if performed;
249	249	(6) Any medically confirmed certification of the imminence of the patient's
250	250	death;
251	251	(7) The attending physician's offer to the patient to rescind the patient's
252	252	request at the time of the patient's second oral request pursuant to § 68-11-2409;
253	253	and
254	254	(8) A note by the attending physician indicating that all requirements of
255	255	this part have been met and indicating the steps taken to carry out the request,
256	256	including a notation of the medication prescribed.
257	257	68-11-2413. Reporting requirements.
258	258	(a) The department shall:
259	259	(1) Annually review a sample of records maintained pursuant to this part;
260	260	and
261	261	(2) Require a healthcare provider, upon dispensing medication pursuant
262	262	to this part, to file a copy of the dispensing record with the department.
263	263	(b) The department shall make rules to facilitate the collection of information
264	264	regarding compliance with this part. The information collected is not a public record for
265	265	the purposes of title 10, chapter 7, and must not be made available for inspection by the
266	266	public.
267	267
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271	271	(c) The department shall generate and make available to the public an annual
272	272	statistical report of information collected under subsection (a).
273	273	68-11-2414. Effect on construction of wills, contracts, and statutes.
274	274	(a) A provision in a contract, life insurance policy, will, or other agreement,
275	275	whether written or oral, to the extent the provision would affect whether a person may
276	276	make or rescind a request for medication to end the person's life in a humane and
277	277	dignified manner, is not valid.
278	278	(b) An obligation owing under any currently existing contract must not be
279	279	conditioned or affected by the making or rescinding of a request, by a person, for
280	280	medication to end the person's life in a humane and dignified manner.
281	281	(c) This section applies to contracts, policies, wills, or agreements entered into
282	282	or renewed on or after the effective date of this act.
283	283	68-11-2415. Insurance or annuity policies.
284	284	The sale, procurement, or issuance of any life, health, or accident insurance or
285	285	annuity policy, or the rate charged for any policy, is not conditioned upon or affected by
286	286	the making or rescinding of a request, by a person, for medication to end the person's
287	287	life in a humane and dignified manner. A qualified patient's act of ingesting medication
288	288	to end the patient's life in a humane and dignified manner does not have an effect upon
289	289	a life, health, or accident insurance or annuity policy.
290	290	68-11-2416. Authorized actions.
291	291	This part does not authorize a physician or another person to end a patient's life
292	292	by lethal injection, mercy killing, or active euthanasia. Actions taken in accordance with
293	293	this part do not, for any purpose, constitute suicide, assisted suicide under § 39-13-216,
294	294	mercy killing, or criminal homicide under title 39, chapter 13, part 2.
295	295	68-11-2417. Immunity.
296	296
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300	300	(a) A person is not subject to civil or criminal liability or professional disciplinary
301	301	action for participating in good faith compliance with this part. This includes being
302	302	present when a qualified patient takes the prescribed medication to end the patient's life
303	303	in a humane and dignified manner.
304	304	(b) A professional organization or association, or healthcare provider, shall not
305	305	subject a person to censure, discipline, suspension, loss of license, loss of privileges,
306	306	loss of membership, or other penalty for participating or refusing to participate in good
307	307	faith compliance with this part.
308	308	(c) A request by a patient for, or provision by an attending physician of,
309	309	medication in good faith compliance with this part must not constitute neglect for any
310	310	purpose of law or provide the sole basis for the appointment of a guardian or
311	311	conservator.
312	312	(d) A healthcare provider is not under any duty, whether by contract, statute, or
313	313	another legal requirement, to participate in the provision to a qualified patient of
314	314	medication to end the patient's life in a humane and dignified manner. If a healthcare
315	315	provider is unable or unwilling to carry out a patient's request under this part, and the
316	316	patient transfers the patient's care to a new healthcare provider, then the prior
317	317	healthcare provider must transfer, upon request, a copy of the patient's relevant medical
318	318	records to the new healthcare provider.
319	319	(e)
320	320	(1) Notwithstanding another law, a healthcare provider may prohibit
321	321	another healthcare provider from participating in this part on the premises of the
322	322	prohibiting provider if the prohibiting provider has notified the healthcare provider
323	323	of the prohibiting provider's policy regarding participating in this part. This
324	324
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328	328	subdivision (e)(1) does not prohibit a healthcare provider from providing to a
329	329	patient healthcare services that do not constitute participation in this part.
330	330	(2) Notwithstanding subsections (a)-(d), a healthcare provider may
331	331	subject another healthcare provider to the following sanctions if the sanctioning
332	332	healthcare provider has notified the sanctioned provider prior to participation in
333	333	this part that the sanctioning provider prohibits participation in this part:
334	334	(A) Loss of privileges, loss of membership, or other sanctions
335	335	provided pursuant to the medical staff bylaws, policies, and procedures of
336	336	the sanctioning healthcare provider, if the sanctioned provider is a
337	337	member of the sanctioning provider's medical staff and participates in this
338	338	part while on the healthcare facility premises of the sanctioning
339	339	healthcare provider, but not including the private medical office of a
340	340	physician or other provider;
341	341	(B) Termination of lease or other property contract or other
342	342	nonmonetary remedies provided by lease contract, not including loss or
343	343	restriction of medical staff privileges or exclusion from a provider panel, if
344	344	the sanctioned provider participates in this part while on the premises of
345	345	the sanctioning healthcare provider or on property that is owned by or
346	346	under the direct control of the sanctioning healthcare provider; or
347	347	(C) Termination of contract or other nonmonetary remedies
348	348	provided by contract, if the sanctioned provider participates in this part
349	349	while acting in the course and scope of the sanctioned provider's capacity
350	350	as an employee or independent contractor of the sanctioning healthcare
351	351	provider. This subdivision (e)(2)(C) does not prevent:
352	352
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356	356	(i) A healthcare provider from participating in this part
357	357	while acting outside the course and scope of the provider's
358	358	capacity as an employee or independent contractor; or
359	359	(ii) A patient from contracting with the patient's attending
360	360	physician and consulting physician to act outside the course and
361	361	scope of the provider's capacity as an employee or independent
362	362	contractor of the sanctioning healthcare provider.
363	363	(3) A healthcare provider that imposes sanctions pursuant to subdivision
364	364	(e)(2) shall afford the sanctioned healthcare provider all due process and follow
365	365	all other procedures that are required of the sanctioning healthcare provider
366	366	under law or rule that are related to the imposition of sanctions on another
367	367	healthcare provider.
368	368	(4) For purposes of this subsection (e):
369	369	(A) ''Notify'' means a separate statement in writing to the
370	370	healthcare provider specifically informing the healthcare provider prior to
371	371	the provider's participation in this part of the sanctioning healthcare
372	372	provider's policy about participation in activities covered by this part;
373	373	(B) ''Participate in this part'':
374	374	(i) Means to perform the duties of an attending physician
375	375	pursuant to § 68-11-2404, the consulting physician function
376	376	pursuant to § 68-11-2405, or the counseling function pursuant to §
377	377	68-11-2406; and
378	378	(ii) Does not include:
379	379
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383	383	(a) Making an initial determination that a patient
384	384	has a terminal disease and informing the patient of the
385	385	medical prognosis;
386	386	(b) Providing information about this part to a
387	387	patient upon the request of the patient;
388	388	(c) Providing a patient, upon the request of the
389	389	patient, with a referral to another physician; or
390	390	(d) A patient contracting with the patient's
391	391	attending physician and consulting physician to act outside
392	392	of the course and scope of the provider's capacity as an
393	393	employee or independent contractor of the sanctioning
394	394	healthcare provider.
395	395	(f) Suspension or termination of staff membership or privileges under subsection
396	396	(e) is not reportable to the board of medical examiners or board of osteopathic
397	397	examination for disciplinary purposes or by the applicable quality improvement
398	398	committee to another quality improvement committee. Action taken pursuant to § 68-11-
399	399	2403, § 68-11-2404, § 68-11-2405, or § 68-11-2406 must not be the sole basis for a
400	400	report of immoral, unethical, unprofessional, or dishonorable conduct.
401	401	(g) This part does not allow a lower standard of care for patients in the
402	402	community where the patient is treated or a similar community.
403	403	68-11-2418. Liability.
404	404	(a) A person who, without authorization of the patient, willfully alters or forges a
405	405	request for medication, or conceals or destroys a rescission of that request with the
406	406	intent or effect of causing the patient's death, commits a Class A felony.
407	407
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411	411	(b) A person who coerces or exerts undue influence on a patient to request
412	412	medication for the purpose of ending the patient's life, or to destroy a rescission of a
413	413	request, commits a Class A felony.
414	414	(c) This part does not limit further liability for civil damages resulting from other
415	415	negligent conduct or intentional misconduct by any person.
416	416	(d) The penalties in this part do not preclude criminal penalties applicable under
417	417	other law for conduct which is inconsistent with this part.
418	418	68-11-2419. Claims by a governmental entity for costs incurred.
419	419	A governmental entity that incurs costs resulting from a person terminating the
420	420	person's life pursuant to this part in a public place has a claim against the estate of the
421	421	person to recover costs and reasonable attorney fees related to enforcing the claim.
422	422	68-11-2420. Form of the request.
423	423	A request for medication as authorized by this part must be substantially in the
424	424	following form:
425	425	REQUEST FOR MEDICATION
426	426	TO END MY LIFE IN A HUMANE
427	427	AND DIGNIFIED MANNER
428	428
429	429	I, ________________, am an adult of sound mind.
430	430
431	431	I am suffering from _______, which my attending physician has determined is a terminal
432	432	disease and which has been medically confirmed by a consulting physician.
433	433
434	434
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437	437
438	438	I have been fully informed of my diagnosis, prognosis, the nature of medication to be prescribed
439	439	and potential associated risks, the expected result, and the feasible alternatives, including
440	440	comfort care, hospice care, and pain control.
441	441
442	442	I request that my attending physician prescribe medication that will end my life in a humane and
443	443	dignified manner.
444	444
445	445	INITIAL ONE:
446	446	_____ I have informed my family of my decision and taken their opinions into consideration.
447	447	_____ I have decided not to inform my family of my decision.
448	448	_____ I have no family to inform of my decision.
449	449
450	450	I understand that I have the right to rescind this request at any time.
451	451
452	452	I understand the full import of this request, and I expect to die when I take the medication to be
453	453	prescribed. I further understand that although most deaths occur within three (3) hours, my
454	454	death may take longer and my physician has counseled me about this possibility.
455	455
456	456	I make this request voluntarily and without reservation, and I accept full moral responsibility for
457	457	my actions.
458	458
459	459	Signed: ___________
460	460	Dated: ___________
461	461
462	462	DECLARATION OF WITNESSES
463	463
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466	466
467	467
468	468	We declare that the person signing this request:
469	469	(a) Is personally known to us or has provided proof of identity;
470	470	(b) Signed this request in our presence;
471	471	(c) Appears to be of sound mind and not under duress, fraud, or undue influence; and
472	472	(d) Is not a patient for whom either of us is the attending physician.
473	473
474	474	__________ Witness 1/Date
475	475	__________ Witness 2/Date
476	476
477	477	NOTE: One (1) witness must not be a relative (by blood, marriage, or adoption) of the person
478	478	signing this request, is not entitled to any portion of the person's estate upon death, and must
479	479	not own, operate, or be employed at a healthcare facility where the person is a patient or
480	480	resident. If the patient is a patient in a long-term care facility at the time the written request is
481	481	made, then one (1) of the witnesses must be an individual designated by the facility.
482	482	68-11-2421. Penalties.
483	483	(a) It is a Class A felony for a person without authorization of the principal to
484	484	willfully alter, forge, conceal, or destroy an instrument, the reinstatement or revocation of
485	485	an instrument, or any other evidence or document reflecting the principal's desires and
486	486	interests, with the intent and effect of causing a withholding or withdrawal of life-
487	487	sustaining procedures or of artificially administered nutrition and hydration which hastens
488	488	the death of the principal.
489	489	(b) Except as provided in subsection (a), it is a Class A misdemeanor for a
490	490	person without authorization of the principal to willfully alter, forge, conceal, or destroy
491	491	an instrument, the reinstatement or revocation of an instrument, or any other evidence or
492	492
493	493
494	494	- 18 - 000775
495	495
496	496	document reflecting the principal's desires and interests with the intent or effect of
497	497	affecting a healthcare decision.
498	498	SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-13-216(b), is amended by adding
499	499	the following language as a new subdivision:
500	500	(4) Provide medication to a qualified patient for the purpose of ending the
501	501	patient's life in a humane and dignified manner pursuant to title 68, chapter 11, part 24.
502	502	SECTION 3. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance
503	503	is held invalid, then the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the act that
504	504	can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end, the provisions of
505	505	this act are severable.
506	506	SECTION 4. The headings in this act are for reference purposes only and do not
507	507	constitute a part of the law enacted by this act. However, the Tennessee Code Commission is
508	508	requested to include the headings in any compilation or publication containing this act.
509	509	SECTION 5. For purposes of rulemaking, this act takes effect upon becoming a law, the
510	510	public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public
511	511	welfare requiring it.