AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49 and Title 63, relative to nursing.
SB2013 creates the “Tennessee Nursing Education Integrity and Oversight Act” and establishes a two-year moratorium on the Board of Nursing’s acceptance and approval of new applications from nursing education programs that are not based in Tennessee. During that moratorium, out-of-state programs that were already approved before the act takes effect may keep their approval, but they must provide requested data to the Board and the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement, including preceptor lists, student placement statistics, and program outcomes.
The bill directs the Center for Nursing Advancement, working with the Board of Nursing, to develop new approval standards for out-of-state nursing programs that use Tennessee clinical sites or Tennessee-licensed preceptors. Those standards must address verification of preceptors, reporting on Tennessee student enrollment and placements, faculty supervision, data collection, administrative costs, and protections for Tennessee patients and preceptors. The Center must publish a report with recommended standards by June 30, 2027, and then issue annual public reports on oversight activities and findings.
The bill also preserves the Board of Nursing’s enforcement authority during the moratorium. In addition, it creates a specific exemption for out-of-state nurse anesthesia educational programs that meet defined accreditation, institutional authorization, certification-preparation, licensure, supervision, and board-approval requirements. Such programs are not required to obtain additional authorization solely to place students in Tennessee clinical training experiences.
Overall, the bill would tighten state oversight of nursing education programs operating across state lines while temporarily pausing new approvals so state agencies can build a more detailed regulatory framework. It affects the Board of Nursing, the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement, nursing schools outside Tennessee, Tennessee-licensed preceptors, clinical sites, and students placed in the state for clinical education.
The bill appears to have broad support in the legislature, passing the Senate Health and Welfare Committee unanimously and later passing both chambers with overwhelming margins. The main policy concern reflected in the bill itself is the perceived lack of oversight and accountability for out-of-state programs using Tennessee clinical placements, while the principal carve-out is for nurse anesthesia programs that already meet specialized accreditation and training standards.
SB2013 amends Tennessee law in Title 63 governing nursing education and oversight, and it also references Title 49 by tying implementation to the Tennessee Center for Nursing Advancement. It imposes a temporary statewide moratorium on new approval applications from out-of-state nursing education programs seeking to operate, enroll students, or place students for clinical experiences in Tennessee, while preserving existing approvals and requiring ongoing reporting. The act also mandates development of new approval standards and public reporting, and it creates a targeted exemption for qualifying out-of-state nurse anesthesia programs.
The legislative sentiment around SB2013 was strongly favorable. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee recommended passage unanimously, and the bill then passed the Senate and House by wide margins, indicating little formal opposition. The overall tone of the bill is regulatory and protective, emphasizing patient safety, program quality, and oversight rather than expansion of access or deregulation.
The central point of contention is the treatment of out-of-state nursing programs that place students in Tennessee clinical settings. Supporters of the bill appear concerned that these programs have been operating with insufficient oversight, limited accountability, and inadequate data reporting, especially regarding preceptors and student placements. The bill’s moratorium is the main restrictive measure and could be viewed as burdensome by affected schools, but the text also preserves existing approvals and creates an exception for certain nurse anesthesia programs, suggesting an effort to balance oversight with continuity for specialized programs. No significant recorded opposition appears in the voting history provided.