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SB 1196

Hospitals and Health Care Facilities - As introduced, authorizes an assisted-care living facility to comply with any requirement to post information in the facility by making such information available on an electronic screen clearly visible to residents and the public subject to approval by the board for licensing health care facilities. - Amends TCA Title 63 and Title 68.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Ed Jackson

Bill allows assisted-care facilities to display required regulatory postings on electronic screens instead of paper, pending state licensing board approval.

Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Health and Welfare Committee
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Bill Summary · SB 1196

Legislative bill overview

SB 1196 allows assisted-care living facilities in Tennessee to display required informational postings on electronic screens instead of physical paper notices, subject to approval by the state licensing board. The bill modifies regulations under Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 63 and 68, which govern health care facilities and licensing requirements.

Why is this important

This bill affects how healthcare facilities communicate mandated disclosures to residents and the public. The change could reduce paper waste and simplify facility management, but it also determines whether residents and visitors can easily access critical information about facility operations, resident rights, complaints, and other regulatory notices that are typically required to be posted.

Potential points of contention

  • Information accessibility: Electronic screens require power and internet connectivity; residents without digital literacy or visual impairments may have difficulty accessing information that was previously always available on paper
  • Approval discretion: Giving the licensing board broad approval authority over which postings can be electronic creates potential inconsistency and could allow facilities to argue certain notices should be digital when transparency advocates want them permanently visible
  • Compliance verification: Regulators and the public may have difficulty auditing whether required information is actually being displayed if it's on rotating digital screens versus fixed physical postings

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

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