SB 1369

Present law generally requires that a person obtain a certificate of need to establish a hospital, other than a mental health hospital. Effective July 1, 2028, this bill adds that a certificate of need will not be required to establish an acute care hos pital, which this bill defines to mean a hospital with a primary focus on patients with an average length of stay of 25 days or less. ON MARCH 26, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENTS #1, #2, AND #3 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1369, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 a dds authorization for the health facilities commission to license acute care hospitals and requires that any person, partnership, association, or corporation, this state, a county or local government unit, and any division, department, board, or agency of a government unit, shall not establish, conduct, operate, or maintain an acute care hospital in Tennesse e without a license. This amendment changes this bill's effective date from upon becoming a law for all purposes to upon becoming a law for rulemaking purposes and July 1, 2030, for all other purposes. AMENDMENT #2 r emoves the present law requirement for a certificate of need to open a satellite emergency department, in counties where such requirement presently applies. This amendment authorizes the health facilities commission to license satellite emergency departments and prohibits a person from establish ing or operat ing a satellite emergency department unless the satellite emergency department is licensed as an outpatient department of a licensed hospital . AMENDMENT #3 r emoves the present law requirement for a certificate of need in order to provide cardiac catheterization . This amendment authorizes the health facilities commission to license cardiac catheterizations . This amendment prohibits a person from initiat ing or provid ing cardiac catheterization services unless the facility providing such services is licensed as an outpatient department of a licensed hospital ; provided, that such prohibition does not apply to a facility providing cardiac catheterization services is in operation as of July 1, 2030 .