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HB 2107

Boards and Commissions - As introduced, creates a rebuttable presumption that a license or renewal should be denied by the board of nursing if the applicant or licensee has a conviction for certain alcohol-related offenses that involved injury to another person. - Amends TCA Title 63.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Bryan Terry

Tennessee bill creates rebuttable presumption denying nursing licenses to applicants convicted of alcohol-related offenses causing injury, shifting burden to prove rehabilitation.

Action Def. in s/c Health Subcommittee to 3/18/2026
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Bill Summary · HB 2107

Legislative bill overview

HB 2107 creates a rebuttable presumption that the Tennessee Board of Nursing should deny nursing licenses or renewals to applicants with convictions for alcohol-related offenses that caused injury to another person. The presumption is "rebuttable," meaning applicants could present evidence to overcome it, but the burden shifts to them to prove they deserve licensure despite such convictions.

Why is this important

Nursing involves direct patient care and safety responsibilities, making criminal history relevant to licensure decisions. This bill would establish a more structured presumption against licensing individuals with alcohol-related convictions involving injury, potentially protecting patients while raising questions about rehabilitation, redemption timelines, and who decides when someone has sufficiently reformed.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope of "injury": The bill doesn't clearly define what qualifies as injury to another person—does a minor injury carry the same weight as serious harm, and how old can the conviction be?
  • Rebuttable vs. absolute ban: While rebuttable, this shifts the burden to applicants to prove their fitness, which some argue unfairly penalizes reformed individuals and others may see as insufficiently protective of patients
  • Alcohol-specific targeting: The bill focuses only on alcohol-related offenses involving injury; critics may question why other serious criminal convictions don't receive similar presumptive denial language, or supporters may argue alcohol impairment is uniquely incompatible with nursing duties

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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