Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A bill that would allow psychologists to prescribe psychotropic drugs is essentially dead for this legislative session after being assigned to the General Subcommittee of the Senate Health and Welfare Committee last week.
Sponsored by Senator Ferrell Haile (R-Gallatin-District 18), Senate Bill 2570 would require psychologists to undergo additional pharmacology training in order to prescribe along with physicians, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants.
However, according to the Tennessee Chapter of the Citizens Commission on Human Rights, such training would be far less than a medical degree, a pharmacy degree, or a psychiatric residency which is required by law for current legal prescribers.
Sending a bill to a General Subcommittee – aka “general subbing” – essentially kills a bill this late in the legislative season.
As the Senate does not have standing subcommittees, a bill would require special examination by a created subcommittee to review, revise, or otherwise amend a piece of legislation before it could be referred back to a full committee to restart the process of discussion and voting on a bill.
While bills can be revived in a committee or by a motion on the Senate floor, oftentimes, a sponsor will ask for their legislation to be general subbed to stop it from being completely killed if they know they do not have enough votes to get it passed.
By general subbing the bill, a sponsor can refile the legislation next session more easily than trying to revive a bill that was officially killed by a committee vote.
The companion House Bill (HB2315) was taken off notice in the House Health Subcommittee at the end of last month.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
