Tennessee House Bill HB1950

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/22/26
• Refer: 2/4/26
• Refer: 3/11/26
• Refer: 3/24/26
• Chaptered: 5/1/26
• Passed: 5/1/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 17, relative to professions of the healing arts.

Summary

HB1950 amends Tennessee’s licensing rules for speech-language pathologists and audiologists under Title 63, Chapter 17. The bill creates a provisional license for speech-language pathologists who have completed the educational requirements for licensure, hold at least a master’s degree from an approved institution, and are completing supervised clinical experience. It also removes the requirement that applicants for that provisional license hold an ASHA certificate of clinical competence, and it authorizes the board to set rules and fees for the provisional license. The bill also changes the rules for practicing while a licensure application is pending. An applicant for speech-language pathology or audiology may perform services without a valid Tennessee license if the person has passed the required exam or is licensed in another state, and meets additional credential requirements: speech-language pathology applicants must hold an ASHA certificate of clinical competence or an equivalent board-accepted certification, while audiology applicants must hold a doctor of audiology degree (Au.D.) from an accredited institution. The act takes effect July 1, 2026.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated § 63-17-110 and § 63-17-111, affecting licensure and temporary practice authority for speech-language pathologists and audiologists. It lowers one barrier to provisional licensure by eliminating the ASHA certificate requirement for clinical fellows, while preserving board authority to regulate provisional licenses through rulemaking. It also clarifies when applicants may practice during pending licensure and specifies the credentials needed for that interim practice, directly affecting applicants, licensed professionals from other states, and the Board of Communication Disorders and Sciences.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have broad support and little visible opposition. It advanced unanimously through the House Health Subcommittee and House Health Committee, then passed on the House floor by consent calendar with 89 yeas and no nays. The voting pattern suggests the measure was viewed as a routine licensing clarification rather than a controversial policy change.

Contention

The main policy issue is the removal of the ASHA certificate of clinical competence as a mandatory eligibility requirement for a provisional license for speech-language pathologists. Supporters likely viewed this as reducing unnecessary barriers to entry and helping new clinicians complete supervised experience, while the bill still preserves credential standards through degree and exam requirements. Any concern would center on whether eliminating the ASHA certificate could weaken professional standards, but the unanimous votes indicate that such concerns did not generate significant opposition in committee or on the floor.