Committee advances CORE Act to centralize certain health licensure functions

Leader Johnson presented Senate Bill 2,227 (described as the CORE Act), an administration bill amended to narrow scope after stakeholder discussions. The bill proposes centralizing certain health licensure and rulemaking functions within a commissioner-issued licensing agency in the Tennessee Department of Health and would remove standalone boards for several professions, including podiatry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing home administrators, dietitians and nutritionists, alcohol and drug abuse counselors, applied behavior analysts, professional counselors, marital and family therapists, and clinical pastoral therapists.

Grayson Carter, assistant commissioner for legislative affairs at the Department of Health, told the committee that small boards can struggle to reach quorums and that running separate boards is expensive, with costs passed to licensees. Carter said consolidating smaller boards under a commissioner agency spreads administrative costs across a larger population of licensees and can reduce delays in licensing, disciplinary actions and rulemaking.

After Q&A the committee adopted amendments and the clerk recorded the vote; the bill will move to the calendar for further legislative action.