Safer TN Tracker | 02.24.25

With snow blanketing much of Tennessee this week, several of our Safer TN events had to be postponed. But, we continued to monitor legislation as it began to move through the General Assembly. Scroll down for more on what we’re tracking. 

Safer TN is tracking a dozen firearm-related bills set to be heard in committees this week, including several that were punted to this week due to snow-related cancellations.

These bills cover a range of topics, such as establishing new penalties for threats of mass violence, enhancing school security, and authorizing a study on the impact of the state’s firearm laws.

Below, you’ll find descriptions of the bills, links to the full text, and details on the committee hearings, including dates, times, and livestream links.

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. 

Monday, Feb. 24

• 4 p.m. CT – Senate Floor, Vote calendar and Committee Livestream

HB0933/SB0814 (Parkinson/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 local education agencies (LEAs) for the purchase of artificial intelligence weapons detection systems for schools without an artificial intelligence weapons detection system. – Amends TCA Title 49.

Tuesday, Feb. 25

• Noon CT – House Education Committee, House Hearing Room I, Agenda and Livestream

HB 399/SB0470 (Bricken/Bowling) – 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.

• 3 p.m. CT – Senate Judiciary Committee,
  Senate Hearing Room I, Committee Livestream

SB591/HB1273 (Haile/Cochran) – 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.

HB588/SB0243 (Butler/Bailey) – 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.

• 3 p.m. CT: House Education Administration Subcommittee,
  House Hearing Room III, Agenda and Livestream

HB0682/SB0699 (Jones, J./Kyle) – Education – As introduced, enacts the “Student Comfort through Alternative Restorative Environments (CARE) Act”; requires local education agencies and public charter schools to allow students of a school in the LEA or public charter school where an act of mass violence occurs to voluntarily participate in remote instruction or a virtual education program for at least 31 calendar days. Amends TCA Title 33; Title 37 and Title 49.

HB0522/SB0386 (Reedy/Taylor) – Education – As introduced, enacts the “Early Behavioral Intervention and Reporting Act”; clarifies that public charter schools are required to have a threat assessment team in the same manner as required of local education agencies. Amends TCA Title 16; Title 37 and Title 49.

Wednesday, Feb. 26

• 9 a.m. CT – House Criminal Justice Subcommittee,
  House Hearing Room II, Agenda and Livestream

HB0514/SB0379 (Gillespie/Walley) – 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/SB0243 (Butler/Bailey) – 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.

HB0184/SB0389 (Hardaway/Taylor) – Criminal Offenses – As introduced, creates a Class C felony of reckless endangerment involving community terrorism, which is committed against a population within a geographic territory by members of a criminal gang or within 1,000 feet of a school or park; requires the sentencing court to revoke or prohibit the issuance of a driver license to individuals convicted of such offense for a five-year period following conviction. Amends TCA Title 39, Chapter 13 and Title 40, Chapter 35.

HB1314/SB1296 (Lamberth/Johnson) – 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.

HB058/SB0657 (Scarbrough/Hensley) – Criminal Offenses – As introduced, adds organized retail crime and possession or employment of a firearm during the commission of or attempt to commit a dangerous felony to the definition of racketeering activity; clarifies that carjacking is racketeering activity. Amends TCA Title 39.

• 1:30 p.m. CT – House Civil Justice Subcommittee,
  House Hearing Room III, Agenda and Livestream

HJR0053 (Reedy) – Constitutional Amendments – Proposes an amendment to Article I, Section 26 of the Constitution of Tennessee to remove the provision that authorizes the legislature to regulate the wearing of arms with a view to prevent crime and to clarify that citizens have a right to keep and bear arms.