TennesseeTennessee follows federal drug categories when no objection is filed
Tennessee assigns drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration their federal controlled-drug category once 30 days pass after the final order's publication, unless an objection is filed.
What it does
Tennessee follows federal controlled-drug categories for FDA-approved substances if no objection is filed. The state category takes effect immediately once 30 days have passed since the final federal order was published.
Authorized healthcare prescribers can prescribe eligible drugs when their state classification takes effect. This covers drugs classified through this process, excludes Schedule I drugs, and requires prescribing within their legally allowed work.
Argument forPatients could access eligible drugs without waiting for Tennessee's annual drug-list update because authorized prescribers can act when the classification takes effect.
Argument againstAutomatically following federal drug categories could leave Tennessee using controls it would otherwise choose differently when no state objection is filed.
More detail
Tennessee assigns covered substances the same controlled-drug category used under federal law. The rule covers substances approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and classified under federal controlled-substance law. The rule applies only if no objection is filed under the existing state objection process. The federal classification must appear in a final order published in the Federal Register, the federal government's official notice publication. The classification does not wait for Tennessee's annual update of its drug lists. The law took effect May 19, 2026.
Eligible healthcare prescribers may prescribe covered drugs immediately when the state classification takes effect. This permission covers healthcare prescribers licensed under Tennessee's health-profession laws who are authorized to prescribe controlled substances. The drug must have U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval and fall outside the controlled-drug category called Schedule I. Prescribing must fall within the prescriber's legally allowed work, and state or federal law must not otherwise prohibit the drug.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 26Pub. Ch. 1008Latest
- May 26Effective date(s) 05/19/2026
- May 19Signed by Governor Bill Lee.Became Law
- May 7Transmitted to Governor for his action.To Governor
- May 5Signed by Senate SpeakerMajor
- Apr 30Signed by H. SpeakerMajor
- Apr 27Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.Minor
- Apr 21Amendment withdrawn (Amendment 1 - SA0969)
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/21/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 21Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0Passed Senate
- Apr 20Senate Reset on calendar for 4/21/2026
- Apr 20Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/21/2026
- Apr 17Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026
- Apr 17Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026
- Apr 16Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/16/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 16Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0935)Minor
- Apr 16H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA1053)Major
- Apr 16Passed H., as am., Ayes 91, Nays 0, PNV 0Passed House
- Apr 16Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.Minor
- Apr 16Received from House, Passed on First ConsiderationMinor
- Apr 16Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.Major
- Apr 16Senate Reset on calendar for 4/20/2026
- Apr 13
- Vote recorded HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026 4/9/2026. Result: fail.Lower
- Apr 9H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026
- Apr 8Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026
- Apr 7Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee 4/7/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 1Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 4/7/2026
- Mar 31Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE HEALTH COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Judiciary Committee 3/31/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 25Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/31/2026
- Mar 24Action def. in Health Committee to 3/31/2026
- Mar 18Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/24/2026
- Mar 17Action def. in Health Committee to 3/24/2026
- Mar 11Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Health CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE HEALTH SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Health Committee 3/11/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 11Placed on cal. Health Committee for 3/17/2026
- Mar 4Placed on s/c cal Health Subcommittee for 3/11/2026
- Feb 27Ref. to Health Committee - Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Feb 27Assigned to s/c Health SubcommitteeMinor
- Feb 5P2C, caption bill, held on desk - pending amdt.
- Feb 4Intro., P1C.Minor
- Feb 2Filed for introductionIntroduced
Healthcare