Senate Bill 2556, also known as House Bill 2136, amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated to streamline the process for scheduling medications approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for women's health. The bill mandates that by January 1, 2027, the Department of Health must submit a report detailing each FDA-approved medication for women's health to the speakers of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Additionally, the bill introduces new legal language that designates existing provisions regarding controlled substances and establishes a new subdivision that allows for automatic scheduling of FDA-approved substances after a 30-day period following their publication in the Federal Register.

Furthermore, the bill allows healthcare prescribers licensed to prescribe controlled substances to immediately prescribe drugs that have been scheduled under the new provisions, provided certain conditions are met. These conditions include that the drug is FDA-approved, not classified as Schedule I, falls within the prescriber's lawful scope of practice, and is not otherwise prohibited by state or federal law. This legislative change aims to enhance access to necessary medications while ensuring compliance with existing regulations.

Statutes affected:
Amended with HA1053 -- 04/16/2026: 39-17-403(d), 39-17-403