---
type: "Bill"
title: "Veterinarians - As enacted, establishes a process for a licensed veterinarian to report suspected animal cruelty in violation of certain criminal laws and testify in a judicial or administrative proceeding concerning the care of the animal without being subject to criminal or civil liability. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 43; Title 44; Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68."
description: "Veterinarians - As enacted, establishes a process for a licensed veterinarian to report suspected animal cruelty in violation of certain criminal laws and testify in a judicial or administrative proceeding concerning the care of the animal without being subject to criminal or civil liability. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 43; Title 44; Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68."
jurisdiction: "us/states/tn"
legislature: "Tennessee General Assembly"
session: "113"
identifier: "HB 2079"
citation: "Tennessee HB 2079 (113)"
classification: ["bill"]
subjects: ["Veterinarians"]
status: "enacted"
primary_sponsors: ["Terry"]
version_count: 1
action_count: 23
vote_count: 5
first_action: "2024-01-24"
last_action: "2024-03-26"
source: "openstates"
source_identifier: "ocd-bill/a3847add-26e0-4682-966e-741c99e74325"
source_url: "http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB2079&GA=113"
source_hash: "86584659e7758f19a231df9abaadf4444c3420a57cb05279a6a9a0b5493579df"
vintage: "2026-07-01"
source_snapshot: "https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-06"
confidence: "reported"
tags: ["legislation", "bill", "us-tn"]
---

# Tennessee HB 2079 (113) — Veterinarians - As enacted, establishes a process for a licensed veterinarian to report suspected animal cruelty in violation of certain criminal laws and testify in a judicial or administrative proceeding concerning the care of the animal without being subject to criminal or civil liability. - Amends TCA Title 39; Title 43; Title 44; Title 53; Title 63 and Title 68.

## Version chain

The bill's text revisions, in order — the diff chain from filing to enrollment.

1. **Current Version** (committee substitute) — [source](https://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/113/Bill/HB2079.pdf)

## Votes

- HOUSE AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee 2/13/2024 — **0–0** (pass) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: CONSENT CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 2/26/2024 Passed (1) — **96–0** (pass) · lower
- HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 2/26/2024 2/22/2024 (2) — **0–0** (fail) · lower
- FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 2/29/2024 Passed (1) — **24–3** (pass) · upper
- HOUSE AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee 2/21/2024 — **0–0** (pass) · lower

## Sponsors

- Terry — primary (person)

## Timeline

The legislative action history — every referral, reading, and vote.

- **2024-01-24** Filed for introduction `filing`
- **2024-01-25** Intro., P1C. `introduction`
- **2024-01-29** P2C, ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee `referral-committee`
- **2024-01-30** Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee `referral-committee`
- **2024-02-07** Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 2/13/2024
- **2024-02-13** Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2024-02-14** Placed on cal. Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee for 2/21/2024
- **2024-02-21** Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 2/22/2024
- **2024-02-21** Sponsor(s) Added. `sponsorship`
- **2024-02-21** Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee `committee-passage-favorable`
- **2024-02-22** H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 2/26/2024
- **2024-02-26** Passed H., Ayes 96, Nays 0, PNV 0 `passage`
- **2024-02-27** Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen. `receipt`
- **2024-02-29** Passed Senate, Ayes 24, Nays 3 `passage`
- **2024-02-29** Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill. `substitution`
- **2024-02-29** Received from House, Passed on First Consideration `introduction`
- **2024-03-01** Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker. `enrolled`
- **2024-03-06** Signed by H. Speaker `passage`
- **2024-03-07** Transmitted to Governor for his action. `executive-receipt`
- **2024-03-07** Signed by Senate Speaker `passage`
- **2024-03-15** Signed by Governor. `executive-signature`
- **2024-03-26** Effective date(s) 03/15/2024
- **2024-03-26** Pub. Ch. 584

## Source

OpenStates / OpenCivicData bulk snapshot [2026-07-01](https://data.openstates.org/daily/2026-07-01/public.pgdump); origin `ocd-bill/a3847add-26e0-4682-966e-741c99e74325`. Confidence: reported (aggregated from official Tennessee legislature records).