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HB 383

Infectious Diseases - As enacted, directs the commissioner of health to, on or before July 1, 2025, add alpha-gal syndrome to the department of health's published list of reportable diseases and conditions, the occurrence of which must be reported to the department by a healthcare provider pursuant to existing administrative rule. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 63 and Title 68.

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

Tennessee mandates healthcare providers report alpha-gal syndrome cases to the Department of Health by July 2025 to enable disease surveillance and epidemiological tracking.

Pub. Ch. 56
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Bill Summary · HB 383

Legislative bill overview

HB 383 requires Tennessee's Department of Health to add alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) to its list of reportable diseases by July 1, 2025. Healthcare providers will be mandated to report cases of this condition to the department, similar to existing requirements for other communicable diseases. The bill amends Tennessee's health code to formally track AGS occurrence statewide.

Why is this important

Alpha-gal syndrome is a tick-borne allergic condition acquired from Lone Star tick bites that causes severe reactions to red meat and dairy products. Adding it to the reportable diseases list enables public health surveillance, allows the state to track prevalence trends, and supports epidemiological research on an emerging health concern that has increased significantly in recent years.

Potential points of contention

  • Reporting burden: Healthcare providers must comply with new reporting requirements, which adds administrative workload to clinics and hospitals already managing reporting obligations
  • Data privacy concerns: Centralized disease reporting creates health information databases that some may view as privacy risks, particularly for a non-communicable condition
  • Limited public health utility: AGS is not contagious, so traditional disease surveillance methods designed for communicable illnesses may be inefficient for tracking individual allergic conditions

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

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