Tennessee Senate Bill SB1251

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 28; Title 29; Title 33; Title 38; Title 39; Title 53; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to drug overdoses.

Summary

SB1251 makes a narrow change to Tennessee’s drug overdose reporting law. It amends Tennessee Code Annotated Section 68-24-301 to require that cases be reported “within seven (7) business days,” adding a specific deadline where the statute previously directed reporting without that timing language. The bill is framed as part of Tennessee’s broader drug overdose response framework, but the text itself only changes the reporting timeline and does not alter the underlying duty to report or expand who must report. Its effective date is July 1, 2025, and it would apply to the reporting of overdose cases under the existing public health reporting system.

Impact

The bill would directly amend Title 68 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, affecting the state’s overdose reporting requirements for covered reporters and the agencies that receive those reports. By imposing a seven-business-day deadline, it standardizes the timing of reports and may improve consistency, data timeliness, and public health tracking of overdose incidents. No other substantive changes to criminal, civil, or licensing provisions are made in the bill text.

Sentiment

Based on the available record, there is no committee transcript or vote history showing debate, support, or opposition. The bill appears to be a technical, administrative update to an existing reporting requirement, which typically suggests a neutral or low-contention posture. Because no recorded discussion is provided, the overall sentiment cannot be assessed beyond the bill’s straightforward public-welfare framing.

Contention

No specific points of contention are documented in the materials provided. Potential areas of concern, if raised, would likely involve whether seven business days is an appropriate reporting window and whether the deadline could burden hospitals, clinicians, pharmacies, or other mandatory reporters. However, the available record does not identify any legislator, agency, or stakeholder taking a position on those issues.