01/26/2026
🚨 CALL TO ACTION – TENNESSEE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS 🚨 YOUR HELP IS URGENTLY NEEDED !!
Law Enforcement Officers and EMS professionals across Tennessee — We are asking for your voice. For the past year Prater has worked insanely hard to get this bill drafted in hopes that it will become law.
Tennessee House Bill 1694 (Tennessee K-9 Emergency Medical Care & Transport Act) is currently before the House Health Committee, and your support matters.
This bill authorizes emergency medical services (EMS) personnel to provide emergency care to injured “K-9 first-responders” (police, military, detection, or search-and-rescue dogs) and transport them to veterinary facilities. Care must be provided under the oversight of a veterinarian acting as an “emergency veterinary medical director”. It also provides immunity from criminal and civil liabilities for EMS personnel providing this care in good faith.
📧 Please take a moment to email the members of the House Health Committee listed below and ask for:�
✔️ Their support of HB 1694�
✔️ A YES vote when the bill comes before them
You can write your own message or use the draft email template provided below. Start sending your emails to them NOW… A list of those on the Health Committee are listed below along with their email addresses.
Let’s stand together for our K-9 partners. 🐾🇺🇸�🐕🦺 They Run Toward Danger. We Must Stand Up for Them. 🐕🦺HB1694
Tennessee House of Representatives on the Health Committee: E-Mail List.
Bo Mitchell - rep.bo.mitchell@capitol.tn.gov
Shaundelle.Brooks - rep.shaundelle.brooks@capitol.tn.gov
Caleb Hemmer - rep.caleb.hemmer@capitol.tn.gov
Susan Lynn - rep.susan.lynn@capitol.tn.gov
Esther Helton - rep.esther.helton@capitol.tn.gov
Michele Carringer - rep.michele.carringer@capitol.tn.gov
Sam McKenzie - rep.sam.mckenzie@capitol.tn.gov
Tom Leatherwood - rep.tom.leatherwood@capitol.tn.gov
Tim Hicks - rep.tim.hicks@capitol.tn.gov
Ron Travis - rep.ron.travis@capitol.tn.gov
Iris Rudder - rep.iris.rudder@capitol.tn.gov
John Gillespie - rep.john.gillespie@capitol.tn.gov
Gary Hicks - rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov
Ryan Williams - rep.ryan.williams@capitol.tn.gov
Ron Gant - rep.ron.gant@capitol.tn.gov
Mark White - rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov
Andrew Farmer - rep.andrew.farmer@capitol.tn.gov
Bryan Terry - rep.bryan.terry@capitol.tn.gov
Kip Capley - rep.kip.capley@capitol.tn.gov
Brock Martin - rep.brock.martin@capitol.tn.gov
Sabi Kumar - rep.sabi.kumar@capitol.tn.gov
John Ray Clemmons - rep.john.ray.clemmons@capitol.tn.gov
Paul Sherrell - rep.paul.Sherrell@capitol.tn.gov
Timothy Hill - rep.timothy.hill@capitol.tn.gov
If you want to share your email with me, please send to Stacy.Prater@erlanger.org. Your SUPPORT is greatly appreciated.
E-Mail Letter Draft - (If you choose to use this drafted email letter, please adjust names and information in the letter accordingly to your agency etc
Dear Representative [LAST NAME] and Honorable Members of the House Health Committee,
I am writing to respectfully ask for your support of House Bill 1694, the Tennessee K-9 Emergency Care and Transport Act. This legislation is critically important to the safety, welfare, and survivability of the working K-9s who serve alongside law enforcement and first responders across the State of Tennessee.
I am a [law enforcement officer / EMS professional / agency representative] with [agency or organization name] serving the citizens of [CITY, COUNTY], Tennessee. These highly trained animals are not only tools in the field — they are trusted partners who protect our communities, locate missing persons, detect narcotics and explosives, and place themselves in harm’s way to keep Tennesseans safe.
House Bill 1694 provides clear statutory authority for trained emergency medical services personnel to provide emergency medical care and transport to a canine first responder injured in the line of duty, under the oversight and direction of a licensed veterinarian serving as an emergency veterinary medical director. This bill establishes a thoughtful, structured framework that prioritizes patient safety, responder accountability, and professional oversight.
Importantly, HB 1694:
* Requires approved training for EMS personnel
* Establishes veterinary medical direction and oversight
* Limits transport to situations where no human patient requires care or transport
* Provides good-faith civil and criminal liability protections for EMS personnel
This legislation does not expand scope irresponsibly or mandate services. Instead, it removes legal uncertainty and allows trained professionals to act decisively when seconds matter most. It ensures that emergency responders can provide lifesaving care without hesitation while maintaining appropriate safeguards for both providers and agencies.
For the past 18 months, similar emergency K-9 care and transport protocols have been successfully utilized in Tennessee through a pilot program with LIFE FORCE Air Medical in Chattanooga, Tennessee, demonstrating that this model is both safe and effective when properly structured. HB 1694 ensures these practices can be applied consistently and responsibly across the state.
Supporting House Bill 1694 sends a strong message that Tennessee values its working K-9s, the agencies that rely on them, and the communities they protect. This legislation would have a meaningful and lasting impact on the safety, readiness, and effectiveness of public safety operations across our state. Providing a lawful pathway for emergency medical care honors their service and supports the first responders and agencies who depend on them.
Thank you for your time, your leadership, and your continued support of Tennessee’s first responders. I respectfully urge you to support House Bill 1694, the Tennessee K-9 Emergency Care and Transport Act. Please feel free to contact me if I can provide any additional information or answer any questions.
Respectfully,
[Full Name]�
[Title / Rank]
�[Agency or Organization]
�[City, County, Tennessee]
�[Email Address]
�[Phone Number]
