Tennessee legislation · 114th General Assembly
Tennessee HB1694: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 14, Part 2; Title 44, Chapter 17; Title 63, Chapter 12 and Title 68, Chapter 140, relative to emergency services for specially trained animals.
Status: Chaptered, April 28, 2026
Fiscal Summary STATE GOVERNMENTEXPENDITURESBoard of Veterinary Medical ExaminersFY26-27$50,000 Bill Summary This bill is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee K-9 Emergency Medical Care and Transport Act," which requires the board of veterinary medical examiners, in consultation with the Tennessee emergency medical services board, to (i) establish requirements for a licensed veterinarian to serve as an emergency veterinary medicine service director and (ii) approve a program to train emergency medical services personnel to transport and provide emergency care to a canine first responder injured in the line of duty. The emergency veterinary medicine service director provides veterinary medicine advice, direction, oversight, and authorization to emergency medical services personnel at an ambulance service for purposes of transporting and providing emergency veterinary medicine care to a canine first responder that is injured in the line of duty. As used in this bill, a "canine first responder" is a dog with specialized training, or being trained, for police, military, or patrol work; detection work; or search-and-rescue; and being used by and under the control of a federal, state, or local law enforcement officer, railroad police officer or a member of the United States armed forces or of a reserve or Tennessee national guard unit in the performance of the officer's or member's law enforcement or military duties. Upon completion of the training established by the board of veterinary medical examiners, in consultation with the Tennessee emergency medical services board, this bill authorizes emergency medical services personnel to transport a canine first responder injured in the line of duty to a veterinary clinic, veterinary hospital, or other similar facility if there is no individual who requires medical attention or transpo
What the bill says
From the amended text:
Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No. 1 to SB2069 Gardenhire Signature of Sponsor AMEND S e n ate Bill No. 2069 House Bill No. 1694* by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "Tennessee K-9 Emergency Medical Care and Transport Act." SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 12, Part 1, is amended by adding the following as a new section: (a) Emergency medical services personnel are immune from discipline by the board of veterinary examiners for emergency medical services regulated by the Tennessee emergency medical services board. (b) Subsection (a) does not provide immunity for the provision of veterinary medicine that an emergency medical services personnel may provide during the transport of a canine first responder, pursuant to § 68-140-336. SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 63-12-133, is amended by adding the following as a new subsection: (d) (1) Emergency medical services personnel who transport or provide emergency care to a canine first responder injured in the line of duty pursuant to § 68-140-336 are not required to be licensed under this chapter. (2) Emergency medical service personnel transporting or providing authorized care, as described in § 68-140-336, are not engaged in the unauthorized practice of veterinary medicine. SA0757 SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title …