Amends TCA Title 14; Title 37, Chapter 10, Part 4; Title 49 and Title 63.

ON MARCH 21, 2024, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2151, AS AMENDED.<br /> <br /> AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, do the following:<br /> <br /> (1) Prohibit a healthcare provider from (i) coercing a person to receive a vaccination; (ii) misleading or misrepresenting that a vaccination is required by state law, when state law provides a person with an exemption; or (iii) misleading or misrepresenting that a newborn screening test is required by state law, when state law does not require such screening without providing a person with an exemption to such requirement;<br /> <br /> (2) Establish that a violation of the bill section is an unlawful practice and is grounds for the offending healthcare provider's licensing authority to suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew the healthcare provider's license or take other disciplinary action allowed by law; and<br /> <br /> (3) If the licensing authority of a healthcare provider receives information of a violation or potential violation of the bill by the healthcare provider, require the licensing authority to conduct an immediate investigation and take appropriate disciplinary action.<br /> <br /> ON APRIL 8, 2024, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 2151 FOR HOUSE BILL 2861, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2151, AS AMENDED.<br /> <br /> AMENDMENT #1 makes the following changes:<br /> <br /> (1) Defines, for purposes of the bill, "coerce" to mean to compel a person to act by force, intimidation, or threat;<br /> <br /> (2) Revises the definition of a "vaccination," for purposes of the bill, to mean the act of introducing a vaccine into the body of a child under two years of age; and<br /> <br /> (3) Revises the provision that prohibits a healthcare provider from (i) coercing a person to receive a vaccination; (ii) misleading or misrepresenting that a vaccination is required by state law, when state law provides a person with an exemption; or (iii) misleading or misrepresenting that a newborn screening test is required by state law, when state law does not require such screening without providing a person with an exemption to such requirement to, instead, prohibit a healthcare provider from (i) coercing a person, who has legal authority to make healthcare decisions for a child, to consent to a vaccination; (ii) misleading or misrepresenting that a vaccination is required by state law, when state law provides an exemption; or (iii) misleading or misrepresenting that a newborn screening test is required by state law, when state law does not require such screening without providing an exemption to such requirement.<br /> <br /> ON APRIL 10, 2024, THE SENATE NON-CONCURRED IN HOUSE AMENDMENT #1.<br /> <br /> ON APRIL 15, 2024, THE HOUSE REFUSED TO RECEDE FROM ITS ADOPTION OF HOUSE AMENDMENT #1.<br /> <br /> ON APRIL 17, 2024, THE SENATE REFUSED TO RECEDE FROM ITS NON-CONCURRENCE IN HOUSE AMENDMENT #1 AND APPOINTED A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.<br /> <br /> ON APRIL 18, 2024, THE HOUSE APPOINTED A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE.<br /> <br /> ON APRIL 23, 2024, THE HOUSE ADOPTED THE CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT.<br />