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SB 1966

Health Care - As introduced, requires the board of medical examiners, board of nursing, and board of osteopathic examination to initiate a criminal background check for each applicant for a renewal of licensure. - Amends TCA Title 38 and Title 63.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Jessie Seal

Tennessee requires medical, nursing, and osteopathic boards to conduct criminal background checks on all license renewals to identify applicants with criminal histories.

Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee
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Bill Summary · SB 1966

Legislative bill overview

SB 1966 mandates that Tennessee's medical, nursing, and osteopathic licensing boards conduct criminal background checks on all applicants renewing their licenses. Currently, background checks may only be required for initial licensure or in specific circumstances. This requirement would apply to every renewal cycle for these three healthcare professions.

Why is this important

Healthcare licensing boards have a statutory duty to protect public safety. Criminal background checks during renewal could identify applicants with newly committed crimes or undisclosed criminal histories that might disqualify them from practice. However, this also affects thousands of licensed professionals seeking routine renewals, potentially creating processing delays and increased administrative costs that get passed to licensees.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and processing burden: Requiring background checks for all renewals (not just initial licenses) significantly increases administrative costs for licensing boards and renewal fees for healthcare professionals, which could be passed to patients
  • Scope and efficacy questions: The bill doesn't specify what crimes trigger license denial or suspension, leaving discretion to boards; it's unclear whether this addresses actual public safety gaps or duplicates existing criminal record review systems
  • Implementation timeline: No effective date or transition period specified, creating potential uncertainty about when boards must implement these checks and how they handle the backlog of renewal applications

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

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