Safer TN Tracker | 02.14.25

Safer TN had an impactful and busy week, focused on community engagement, advocacy, and preparation for the important weeks ahead. We helped spread kindness and support to the Antioch High School community for Valentine’s Day, with hundreds of volunteers creating nearly 3,000 valentines that were delivered along with thousands of Hershey’s Kisses. At the same time, we distributed our annual report to members of the General Assembly, ensuring lawmakers are informed about the progress we’ve made and the work that lies ahead.

We also had the opportunity to speak with leaders in the music industry, sharing updates on our work and encouraging them to get involved in making Tennessee safer. Meanwhile, our team continued the extensive review process of nearly 100 firearm-related bills filed for this session.

This was the first week both chambers of the General Assembly were fully in session and conducting regular business. Looking ahead to next week, we expect to see the first firearm-related bills debated in committee, marking an important step in this legislative session. Safer TN remains committed to monitoring these bills closely and advocating for solutions that protect our communities.

Safer TN is tracking eight firearm-related bills that are scheduled to be heard in committees next week.

These bills address a variety of issues, including creating new penalties for threats of mass violence, improving school security, authorizing a study on the impact of the state’s firearm laws, and offering insurance discounts for proper firearm storage. 

Below find descriptions of the bills, links to bill text, and the date, time and livestream links for the committees they’ll be heard in. 

Tuesday, Feb. 18:

• 3pm: House Education Administration Subcommittee,
  House Hearing Room III, Committee Livestream

HB214 (Rudd) – Local Education Agencies – As introduced, authorizes LEAs and public charter schools to employ retired law enforcement officers who are retired from a federal, state, or local law enforcement agency and honorably discharged veterans of the United States armed forces to serve as school resource officers on school premises; requires local boards of education and public charter school governing bodies to adopt policies to effectuate same. – Amends TCA Title 8; Title 10, Chapter 7, Part 5; Title 37; Title 38; Title 49; Section 55-8-151 and Title 62.

HB 399 (Bricken) – Education – As introduced, enacts the “Protecting Tennessee Schools and Events Act.” – Amends TCA Title 12 and Title 49. Requires the department of education to establish a pilot program to award protecting Tennessee schools and events assistance grants to LEAs located in counties identified as distressed or at-risk by the economic and community development’s performance metrics for the fiscal year 2025, using funds appropriated by the general appropriations act for such purpose. Specifies the primary purpose of the grants is to assist LEAs located in counties identified as distressed or at-risk in purchasing portable walk-through metal detectors. Specifies requirements for metal detectors, including being able to comfortably accommodate foot traffic, wheelchairs, and other mobility assistance devices, such as walkers or crutches.

• 3pm: Senate Judiciary Committee,
  Senate Hearing Room I, Committee Livestream

SB591 (Haile) – Criminal Offenses – As introduced, creates the Class E felony of recklessly, by any means of communication, threatening to commit an act of mass violence on the property of a child care agency, preschool, or religious institution; creates the Class B misdemeanor of failing to report a threat to commit an act of mass violence on the property of a child care agency, preschool, or religious institution. – Amends TCA Title 39.

Wednesday, Feb. 19:

• 9am: House Criminal Justice Subcommittee,
  House Hearing Room II, Committee Livestream

HB514 (Gillespie) – Firearms and Ammunition – As introduced, requires TACIR to perform a study on the impact of this state’s firearm laws on each county’s firearm sales, criminal offenses, and use of firearms for self-defense, as well as identifying the similarities and dissimilarities between the impacts on each county. – Amends TCA Title 37; Title 38; Title 39 and Title 40.

HB588 (Butler) – Criminal Offenses – As introduced, creates a Class E felony for altering or defacing a permanent distinguishing number on a firearm and selling, purchasing, or possessing such a firearm with a mandatory minimum sentence of 180 days incarceration. – Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 14, Part 1; Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13 and Title 40.

HB1314 (Lamberth) – Criminal Offenses – As introduced, creates the criminal offense of threatening to commit an act of mass violence; creates the criminal offense of posting on a publicly accessible website the telephone number or home address of an individual with the intent to cause harm or a threat of harm to the individual or a member of the individual’s family or household. – Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13, Part 8 and Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 3.

• 10:30am: House Insurance Subcommittee,
  House Hearing Room I, Committee Livestream 

HB1240 (Helton-Haynes) – Insurance Companies, Agents, Brokers, Policies – As introduced, requires an insurance company that is admitted to do business in this state and insures the tangible personal property of a policyholder who resides in this state to provide a discount to the policyholder through the policyholder’s homeowners or renters insurance policy if the policyholder secures the policyholder’s firearms in a firearm safe or uses a firearm safety device for the firearms and requests to receive the annual discount. – Amends TCA Title 56.

• 3pm: Senate Education Committee,
  Senate Hearing Room I, Committee Livestream

SB814 (Gardenhire) – Education, Dept. of – As introduced, requires the department to establish and administer a three-year artificial intelligence weapons detection system grant pilot program to award grants to eligible LEAs for the purchase of artificial intelligence weapons detection systems for schools without an artificial intelligence weapons detection system. – Amends TCA Title 49.

Several dangerous bills have been introduced

As expected, several concerning bills have been filed this session. One would eliminate the criminal offense for carrying a firearm on properly posted properties, including bars, restaurants, music venues, and hospitals. Another proposes amending the state constitution to remove the legislature’s authority to regulate the carrying of firearms as a means to prevent crime.

These bills aren’t scheduled to be heard yet in committee, but stay tuned. We’ll be flagging them and asking our coalition for support when it’s most needed. Keep checking the Tracker for the latest.