The Joint Government Operations Committee voted to give positive recommendations to a package of rule amendments from multiple state agencies, approving changes that include a transfer of asbestos program authority to the state, revisions to physical therapy licensing rules, fee reductions for applied behavior analysts and a statutory annual adjustment to the criminal injuries compensation maximum award.

The actions, taken at a committee meeting in April, affect licensing, program administration and small grant and benefit levels across state agencies. Committee members approved each rule packet by voice vote or roll call; one physical therapy rule drew a recorded Senate vote of eight in favor and one opposed.

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation sought committee approval to assume state primacy for the asbestos program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Allie Williamson, legislative director for TDEC, told the committee, "The proposed rules before you today are seeking to give Tennessee primacy over our asbestos program from the EPA," and said the rules would move firm accreditation from annual to three-year cycles, allow electronic filing and permit online refresher training for accreditation programs. Williamson also said the packet adjusts existing fees that have not changed since 2008 and aligns them with other states.

The committee discussed fee levels and workforce impacts. Adrienne White, program director for TDEC's toxic substances program, told members the fees support program operations and that online renewals will be faster: organizers said paper renewals now require mailing and take about 60 days, while the online process can complete in roughly three to five days for many applicants.

A second major item revised physical therapy rules to reflect education and practice changes since the profession moved to the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) as the entry-level degree. Olivia Johnson, legislative liaison for the Department of Health, presented the packet and board member Ron Barredo explained the DPT transition and why licensure exams remain in place: "The purpose of licensure exams is to ensure that graduates are safe enough to enter the profession," Barredo said. The committee heard questions about direct access and limits set by third-party payers such as Medicare. The Senate vote on that package was recorded as 8 ayes and 1 no.

The committee approved a fiscal package from the Department of Health reducing application and renewal fees for applied behavior analysts and assistants. The packet decreases initial application and renewal amounts (for example, the board noted an application fee for behavior analysts would drop from $250 to $50 and renewal fees would be lowered), and staff said the cumulative carryover in the program was $666,072.15 and the change is projected to reduce annual revenues by about $82,000.

The Tennessee Department of Treasury requested a routine statutory adjustment to the Criminal Injuries Compensation maximum award. Roy West, chief of staff at the Department of Treasury, said the department was seeking to raise the maximum award from $32,900 to $34,200 to reflect the required annual adjustment: "we are seeking a rule amendment for the criminal injuries compensation program, which would take our maximum award amount from $32,900 to $34,200 which we're required to do annually pursuant to statute." The committee approved that amendment.

Other rule packets that moved forward with positive recommendations included:
- Tennessee Investments Preparing Scholars (TIPS) / Tennessee Stars (529 matching grant): Ashley Neighbors, assistant treasurer for financial empowerment, said the program has "over a thousand" participants, uses a 4-to-1 match (a $25 family contribution is matched by $100), provides up to $500 per qualifying period, and a lifetime match cap of $1,500 per beneficiary. The qualifying period runs Aug. 1 to June 30 and the committee approved the rule amendments.
- State Board of Education: Nathan James presented amendments to the universal student screeners and benchmark assessments rule to reflect a 2024 statutory change (public chapter 639 of 2024) that removed a summer pre-test requirement for certain summer learning programs; the committee approved the rule.
- Health Facilities Commission: rules expanding pathways to certify surgical technologists to reflect public chapter 932 of 2024 were approved; the presenter said the rule broadens accrediting pathways from one body to up to three.
- Board of Examiners for Land Surveyors: revisions to terminology and to reflect GPS practices were approved. Board vice chair Justin Raines said GPS increases efficiency and repeatability while property boundaries remain driven by on-the-ground evidence.
- Board of Chiropractic Examiners: updates to definitions, advertising language to cover internet/social media, telemedicine context and licensure procedures (including an administrative path for international graduates) were approved.
- Board of Dentistry: a rule allowing dental hygienists to take a monitoring-only nitrous-oxide certification course (previously only available via an administration-plus-monitoring course) was approved.
- Commerce and Insurance: an administrative rule-harmonization reflecting transfer of the division of consumer repairs to the Attorney General's office was approved.

Votes at a glance
- Criminal Injuries Compensation (Treasury): motion to amend maximum award to $34,200; Senate tally recorded as 8 ayes; outcome: approved.
- TIPS / Tennessee Stars (529): match/grant rule amendments; Senate tally recorded as 9 ayes; outcome: approved.
- State Board of Education universal screeners/benchmarks: rule to reflect public chapter 639 (2024); Senate tally recorded as 9 ayes; outcome: approved.
- Commerce & Insurance (consumer repairs title change): administrative rule; Senate tally recorded as 9 ayes; outcome: approved.
- TDEC asbestos primacy and fee adjustments: seek state primacy, 3-year accreditations, electronic filings and fee updates; Senate tally recorded as 9 ayes; outcome: approved.
- Board of Examiners and Land Surveyors: terminology and practice updates reflecting GPS workflows; Senate tally recorded as 9 ayes; outcome: approved.
- Board of Chiropractic Examiners: scope, titles and telemedicine definitions; Senate tally recorded as 9 ayes; outcome: approved.
- Applied Behavior Analyst Licensing Committee: reduced application and renewal fees for behavior analysts and assistants; Senate tally recorded as 9 ayes; outcome: approved.
- Board of Physical Therapy: updated rules reflecting DPT entry-level practice and direct access; Senate tally recorded as 8 ayes, 1 no; outcome: approved.
- Board of Dentistry (nitrous oxide monitoring): permit hygienists to obtain monitoring-only certification; Senate tally recorded as 9 ayes; outcome: approved.
- Health Facilities Commission (surgical technologist certifications): broadened accrediting pathways per public chapter 932 (2024); Senate tally recorded as 9 ayes; outcome: approved.

What's next
Each packet will return to the full legislature or affected boards as required under the Administrative Procedures Act and the agencies indicated effective dates where applicable. The committee noted the next scheduled meeting for May 19. Meeting minutes and rule text filed with the Secretary of State and the agencies will provide final effective dates and full statutory citations.

Reporting note: This article is based on presentations, Q&A and roll-call/voice votes recorded on the committee's transcript.