AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 8, Chapter 50; Title 33; Title 36; Title 52; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68, relative to therapists.
HB1909 updates Tennessee law governing marriage and family therapists and related terms across multiple titles of the Tennessee Code. The bill largely standardizes terminology by replacing references to “marital and family” with “marriage and family” in numerous statutes, including provisions touching professional regulation, public welfare, insurance, mental health, and related licensing frameworks. It also makes targeted substantive changes to the licensure chapter for marriage and family therapists.
Among the substantive changes, the bill revises licensure by endorsement for out-of-state marriage and family therapists, allowing the board to license qualified applicants without examination if they are independently licensed and in good standing elsewhere, and it authorizes reciprocal agreements with other states. It also updates exemptions and title usage for interns, prelicensed practitioners, and other professionals, and it clarifies who may serve as an approved supervisor or board-approved supervisor, including experience, training, and continuing education requirements. The bill sets different effective dates for the terminology changes and the licensure/supervision provisions.
The bill amends a wide range of Tennessee statutes across Titles 4, 8, 33, 36, 52, 56, 63, and 68, but its main regulatory effect is on the marriage and family therapy licensing scheme in Title 63, Chapter 22. It changes statutory wording, expands or clarifies endorsement and reciprocity pathways for licensed therapists from other states, and refines supervision and exemption rules for interns, prelicensed therapists, and approved supervisors. The changes apply prospectively to actions and licensure/renewal applications submitted on or after the effective dates, with terminology updates generally taking effect January 1, 2027 and the licensure-related provisions taking effect July 1, 2026.
The available voting history shows strong support for the bill in committee, with unanimous favorable votes in the House Health Subcommittee and House Health Committee. The bill was recommended for passage at both stages without recorded opposition, suggesting broad agreement on the need to modernize terminology and streamline licensure rules for marriage and family therapists. No committee transcript objections are provided in the record.
There is little visible contention in the available materials. The only potentially notable policy issue is the licensure-by-endorsement and reciprocity provisions, which make it easier for out-of-state marriage and family therapists to obtain Tennessee licensure, and the revised supervision standards, which define who may supervise trainees and prelicensed practitioners. However, the committee votes were unanimous, and no specific opposition, amendments, or disputes are reflected in the provided discussion record.