Tennessee Senate Bill SB2065

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/22/26
• Engrossed: 3/23/26
• Enrolled: 4/8/26
• Passed: 4/23/26
• Chaptered: 5/1/26

Caption

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

Summary

SB2065 amends Tennessee’s speech-language pathology and audiology licensing laws to make it easier for qualified applicants to begin practicing while their applications are pending. The bill allows a person who has completed the educational requirements for speech-language pathology licensure and holds at least a master’s degree to receive a provisional license as a clinical fellow during supervised clinical experience. It also removes the requirement that an applicant have an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) certificate of clinical competence in order to qualify for that provisional license, and it authorizes the board to set rules and fees for the provisional license process. The bill also expands the circumstances under which applicants for speech-language pathology or audiology licensure may perform services before full licensure is issued. If the applicant has passed the required exam or is already licensed in another state, and meets additional credential requirements—such as ASHA certification or an equivalent for speech-language pathology, or an Au.D. degree for audiology—the person may practice while the application is pending. The act takes effect July 1, 2026, and amends Tennessee Code Annotated Title 63, Chapter 17, which governs healing arts professions.

Impact

The bill changes Tennessee’s licensing framework for speech-language pathologists and audiologists by broadening provisional practice and pending-application practice authority. It reduces reliance on ASHA certification as a mandatory eligibility gate for provisional licensure, while preserving board authority to regulate standards, procedures, and fees. The affected parties are applicants, clinical fellows, licensed out-of-state professionals seeking Tennessee licensure, and the Board of Communication Disorders and Sciences (or the relevant licensing board) responsible for administering these rules.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests strong support and little opposition. The Senate Health and Welfare Committee recommended passage unanimously, and the floor motion to adopt also passed without recorded dissent. With no committee transcript available, the overall sentiment appears favorable, likely reflecting a consensus that the bill streamlines licensure pathways without eliminating professional standards.

Contention

The main policy issue is the removal of ASHA certificate of clinical competence as a required eligibility condition for provisional licensure. Supporters appear to favor reducing barriers for qualified speech-language pathology and audiology applicants and allowing them to work sooner under supervision. Any concern would likely center on whether loosening the certification requirement could affect professional standards or public protection, but the recorded votes show no visible organized opposition.