Surgical Assistants

The bill allows individuals to become registered surgical assistants in Tennessee if they have valid credentials from the American Board of Surgical Assistants and meet other requirements. It also eliminates a previous deadline for registration based on practical experience, making it easier for applicants to gain recognition.

TN SB0174 is a senate bill in the Tennessee 114th General Assembly, sponsored by Becky Massey (R), currently “Passed” since April 8, 2025.

We track 9,160 Tennessee bills this session, 184 of them sponsored by Becky Massey.

Supporters of the bill argue that it streamlines the registration process for surgical assistants, helping to address workforce shortages in healthcare. By removing the outdated deadline, the legislation opens doors for qualified professionals to contribute to patient care.

Critics may contend that the removal of the registration deadline could lead to a dilution of standards for surgical assistants. They might express concerns that this change could potentially impact the quality of surgical care by allowing less experienced individuals to enter the field.

The bill SB0174 focuses on the registration of surgical assistants, which primarily impacts the healthcare sector. The sponsor, Becky Massey, serves as the Executive Director of Sertoma Center, an organization that may interact with healthcare professionals, but there is no direct evidence that this position would financially benefit from the specific provisions of the bill. Additionally, while she is a board member of Tenova Healthcare, which operates in the healthcare industry, the bill does not create a direct financial advantage for her or her organization regarding the registration of surgical assistants. Furthermore, her other financial interests, including various investments and board memberships, do not directly correlate with the surgical assistant registration process outlined in the bill.

Unlike federal analysis based on campaign donations, state analysis examines legislators' personal financial interests — their jobs, businesses, and investments.

Items marked "AI-researched" are generated from public sources but have not been independently verified. Verified data is sourced from official legislature websites and disclosure filings.