Senate Bill 2427 amends Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 63, Chapter 7, to update the eligibility requirements for obtaining a medication aide certificate. The bill specifies that applicants must be at least eighteen years old, have completed high school or an equivalent, successfully complete an approved training program, pass a standardized examination within two attempts, and meet one of several criteria related to prior experience or current enrollment in a nursing program. Additionally, the bill introduces alternative criteria for nursing students, allowing them to qualify based on their completion of specific nursing courses.

The bill also includes provisions for the training program's duration, requiring that classes be completed within a minimum of fourteen days and a maximum of ninety days. It mandates that the evaluation of a program's examination pass rate be based on the number of students passing within two attempts, regardless of whether it is their first or second attempt. Furthermore, the bill allows the board to grant certification to individuals who are already certified in another state, provided that the other state's requirements are as stringent as Tennessee's. The act will take effect upon becoming law for rule promulgation purposes, while other provisions will take effect on July 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 63-7-127(e), 63-7-127, 63-7-127(i)(2), 63-7-127(l)