AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63 and Title 68, relative to healing arts.
Summary
SB0432 makes a narrow change to Tennessee’s healing arts licensing law by increasing the number of members required for a professional association or similar entity to use the word “college” in its name. Under current law, the threshold is ten members; this bill raises it to twenty. The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Section 63-2-101(a)(1), and takes effect immediately upon becoming law.
In practical terms, the bill affects organizations in the healing arts sector that seek to present themselves as a “college” under state law. It does not create a new licensing scheme or alter clinical practice standards, but it does change the statutory naming requirement for certain entities operating in or associated with the healing arts.
Impact
The bill amends Tennessee’s professional naming statute in Title 63 by changing the minimum membership threshold from 10 to 20 for entities using the term “college.” This affects associations, schools, or other healing arts organizations that rely on that designation and may require some entities to change their names or organizational structure to comply. The measure has no recorded committee amendments or votes in the provided materials and takes effect immediately upon enactment.
Sentiment
No committee transcripts or vote records were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the available record. Based on the text alone, the bill appears technical and limited in scope, suggesting it may have been viewed as a housekeeping or clarification measure rather than a controversial policy change.
Contention
There is no documented contention in the provided materials. The only apparent point that could draw attention is the higher membership threshold for using the term “college,” which could affect smaller healing arts organizations that currently qualify under the 10-member standard. However, no specific objections, supporters, or competing viewpoints are included in the record.