TLRC position
Support
2026 · Health
Directs health department to report psychotropic medications and their side effects.
HB 1160 / SB 1064
Bill description
Require Department of Health to list psychotropic drugs and their side effects to health committee chairs by January 1, 2026.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 33; Title 41; Title 49; Title 53; Title 63; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to psychotropic medication.
Bill sponsors
House co-sponsors · 1
Tim Hicks R
Senate co-sponsors · 2
Rusty Crowe R, Joey Hensley R
TLRC statement
This bill directs Tennessee’s Department of Health to compile, by January 1, 2026, a comprehensive inventory of every psychotropic medication defined under Tennessee Code Annotated § 49-2-124, together with known side effects for each drug. The report is to be delivered to the chairs of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee and the House Committee on Health-Related Matters. By amending multiple titles of the Tennessee Code (Titles 4, 33, 41, 49, 53, 63, 68, and 71), the act simply inserts a new reporting requirement; it does not alter prescribing authority or create new regulatory regimes for practitioners or patients.
At its heart, the measure enhances transparency and legislative oversight. Psychotropic medications, often prescribed to children in educational or institutional settings, carry a range of side effects—from mild drowsiness to more serious risks such as metabolic changes or behavioral disturbances. Providing lawmakers with an authoritative, up-to-date reference equips them to evaluate existing policies, inform parents and educators, and consider whether additional safeguards or parental-consent protocols are needed in Tennessee’s schools and care facilities.
Because the fiscal note confirms no significant expenditure is required—existing staff and resources suffice—the proposal advances informed public‐policy decisions at virtually no cost to taxpayers. It empowers the legislature, under its constitutional prerogatives, to oversee state health agencies and ensure families and institutions have clear information on potent psychotropic treatments administered under current law.


