Primary Bills of Interest for TNAAP during the 2005 Legislative Session:
Bills that Passed into Law :
AUTOPSIES-- SB 2277 (Kyle) / HB 2292 (McMillan)
Requires commissioner of health to implement standards for conducting and completing investigations, including any necessary autopsies, into sudden and unexplained death of any minor. Fiscal Note= $162K. SUPPORT. Passed into law: PC 356.
BULLYING-- SB 1621 (Black) / HB 2114 (S. Jones)
Requires each public school to adopt a policy addressing bullying by students. Fiscal Note= $0. SUPPORT. Passed into law: PC 202.
CELL PHONES-- SB 36 (Cohen) / HB 2054 (He. Brooks)
Prohibits 16 and 17 year olds from talking on cell phones while driving, except to parent or guardian or in emergency. Fiscal Note= <$100K. SUPPORT. Passed into law: PC 236.
CHILD CAR SEATS-- SB 903 (Black) / HB 823 (P. Johnson)
Lowers minimum height requirement to less than four feet, nine inches from present less than five feet, which triggers the proper use of child restraint system for children ages four through eight. Fiscal note= $0. TNAAP Position: SUPPORT. Passed both houses; signed by Governor, Public Chapter (PC) #55.
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES-- SB1773 (Person) / HB 447 (Fowlkes)
Reforms the child protective services procedures in the department of children's services and adds additional preventive services procedures. Fiscal Note= >$500K. SUPPORT. Passed into law: PC ?.
DRUG FREE ZONES-- SB 258 (McNally) / HB 291 (Hackworth)
Expands Drug-Free Zones to include areas around preschools, daycare centers, public libraries, recreational centers, and parks in addition to public and private elementary, middle, and secondary schools. Fiscal Note= $210K. SUPPORT. Passed into law: PC 295.
MENINGITIS-- SB 825 (McLeary) / HB1107 (McMillan)
Makes available to the Dept of Education information about meningococcal disease appropriate for distribution to parents and guardians of students. Fiscal note= $0. SUPPORT. Passed into law: PC 177.
PRE-K-- SB 2317 (Kyle) / HB 2333 (McMillan)
Enacts the "Voluntary Pre-K for Tennessee Act of 2005." Fiscal Note= $25 mil. SUPPORT. Passed into law: PC 312.
STUDENT HEALTH CARD-- SB 247 (Finney) / HB 445 (Fowlkes)
Authorizes LEAs to complete a health report card on each child enrolled within their school system whose parents have not requested exclusion from testing. Fiscal Note= >$2mil (was probably removed when "Requires" was amended to "Authorizes"). NEUTRAL. Passed into law: PC 194.
TEEN PREGNANCY-- SB1011 (Ford) / HB 1294 (L. DeBerry)
Establishes model teenage pregnancy program within the Dept of Children's Services. Fiscal Note= $450K. SUPPORT. Passed Senate committee; deferred to next year in House.
Bills that did not pass:
ATV'S-- SB 771 (Burchett) / HB 1393 (Ha. Brooks)
Requires persons 15 years or younger to take safety course before riding All Terrain Vehicles, must have certificate of completion of safety course on their person when riding an ATV. Fiscal note: revenue= expenditures. SUPPORT. Passed Senate; deferred in House.
GAY ADOPTION-- SB 1615 (Bryson) / HB 775 (Clem)
Prohibits adoptions by homosexual persons, and prohibits a parent from surrendering or consenting to the adoption of such person's child if such person has knowledge that a prospective adoptive parent is a homosexual. Fiscal Note= $0. OPPOSE. Failed in House Committee.
GLUCOSE SCREENINGS-- SB 1559 (Haynes) / HB 2200 (Briley)
Requires health care professional to test newborns within one hour of birth to determine glucose levels; violation is Class C misdemeanor. Amended to only require DOH to provide a link on their website to AAP and ACOG sites regarding screening infants for blood glucose abnormailities. Fiscal note= $0. NEUTRAL. Passed Senate; no movement in House.
INHALANT ABUSE-- SB 2007 (McNally) / HB 1884 (M. Turner)
Adds abuse of inhalants to DUI offense; provides for various forms of education, treatment, and investigation involving inhalant abuse. Fiscal note= $500K. SUPPORT. Passed Senate Judiciary; taken off notice in House.
MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS-- SB 545 (Fowler) / HB 1971 (Cochran)
Prohibits, in the absence of authorizing state legislation, any state agency or official from implementing comprehensive mental health screenings pursuant to policies issued by the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health or other federal mental health program; restricts certain conduct by LEA employees with regard to psychotropic drugs. Fiscal note= could jeopardize federal funding streams and compromise mandates under John B. consent decree. Amendment removes fiscal note. OPPOSE. Passed Senate; deferred to next year in House.
MERCURY-BASED VACCINES-- SB 1616 (Black) / HB 956 (Lynn)
Prohibits vaccinations administered to children under eight years of age from containing mercury-based preservatives; allows commissioner of health an exemption in the case of a documented outbreak that requires use of vaccines containing mercury-based preservatives; requires insurers who cover vaccinations to charge the same percentage fee for vaccines that do not contain mercury-based preservatives as for those that do. Fiscal note= $0. OPPOSE. Passed Senate; deferred to summer study committee in House.
MOTOCYCLE HELMETS-- SB 807 (Burchett) / HB 456 (Davidson)
Exempts persons 21 years and older from requirement of wearing motorcycle helmet provided proof of comprehensive health insurance. Fiscal note= $120K. OPPOSE. Passed Senate Transportation; deferred to next year in House.
OXYGEN SATURATION SCREENINGS-- SB 2208 (McNally) / HB 2005 (Overbey) Requires attending physician in a hospital to test oxygen saturation level of a newborn prior to discharge. Fiscal note= $1.5 mil. NEUTRAL. Passed House Health; passed Senate Finance.
PSYCHOLGISTS-- SB 723 (Cooper) / HB 479 ( Odom)
Grants prescribing authority to psychologists, subject to specific education and testing requirements. Anticipated amendment to be offered by psychologists: sets up utilization review process for 25 psychologists who are granted prescribing authority. Fiscal note= $5000. OPPOSE. Withdrawn.
SEDATION-- SB 1709 (Person) / HB 2036 (S. Jones)
Authorizes only certain nurses (CRNAs) to administer anesthesia. Fiscal note= $0. OPPOSE. Deferred to summer study committee.
STATUTORY RAPE-- SB 864 (Fowler) / HB 870 (J. DeBerry)
Requires provider to report statutory rape of a minor. Fiscal note= >$1mil. OPPOSE. Withdrawn in Senate; failed in House.
* For more information or details of the bills, amendments and laws (Public Chapters), please see the Tennessee General Assembly's website at http://www.legislature.state.tn.us
