Efforts to Preserve Tennessee Laboratory Personnel Licensure Continue

In Tennessee, ASCP is working to stop legislation that would severely undermine the state’s laboratory personnel licensure law. Legislation, HB226/SB982, was introduced to exempt “private labs” from the state laboratory licensure law. If signed into law, the bill would mean that Tennessee’s hospital and reference laboratories would no longer have to hire licensed laboratory personnel. 

While the bills have been approved by each chamber’s respective health committees, both measures encountered problems in their respective finance committee as the legislation creates a deficit issue for the state. 

One of the reasons given by supporters of the legislation is to make it easier for Tennessee’s licensed labs to fill laboratory vacancies. ASCP, the ASCP Board of Certification and other laboratory personnel groups working in Tennessee are exploring options for a compromise that could expand training options in a way that does not jeopardize patient care.