TennesseeHB 2157114th General Assembly (2025-2026)House

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 38 and Title 39, relative to law enforcement.

Sponsored By: William Lamberth, William (Republican)

Became Law

Law Enforcement

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.

Automatic operations in Memphis task force areas

Beginning July 1, 2026, investigators can start operations on their own in any judicial district where the Memphis Safe Task Force is active. This applies to violent and gang‑related crimes, and to other crimes found during those cases. This authority stays in place until a majority of the state task force votes to end it.

Closed meetings for sensitive police work

Beginning July 1, 2026, the task force may hold closed sessions by majority vote to discuss sensitive police matters. It cannot take final action in a closed session; final votes must be in public. The task force keeps confidential minutes for closed sessions. Sharing those minutes without permission can lead to removal or criminal charges.

Rules for these operations and reporting

Beginning July 1, 2026, investigators may work cases involving violent crimes in Title 39, Chapter 13 and criminal gang activity, and pursue other crimes they find. Before operations begin, the TBI director must tell the district attorney and the top local law‑enforcement officer when they will start. While operations run, the director must report arrests and charges, and the district attorney must report case outcomes at task force meetings. The TBI may swap or assign agents with other agencies to support these operations.

State task force can send extra investigators

The law creates the Tennessee Safe Initiative Task Force at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. Beginning July 1, 2026, the task force can vote to send extra law‑enforcement operations to a city or county. A sheriff, police chief, or district attorney can also make a written request, and the TBI director can act without a vote. The task force includes the TBI director (chair), the safety commissioner, and local law‑enforcement leaders.

Program authority ends July 1, 2029

Subsections that authorize these special operations end on July 1, 2029. After that date, the authorities in those parts stop unless lawmakers renew them.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

William Lamberth, William
Republican • House

Cosponsors

Rush Bricken, Rush
Republican • House
Debra Moody, Debra
Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 240 • No: 42

House vote • 4/22/2026

FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR 3 CONCUR IN SENATE AMENDMENT # 2 4/22/2026

Yes: 73 • No: 19

Senate vote • 4/22/2026

FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/22/2026

Yes: 25 • No: 7

House vote • 4/21/2026

FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/21/2026

Yes: 76 • No: 15

House vote • 4/20/2026

HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE

Yes: 0 • No: 0

House vote • 4/15/2026

HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS COMMITTEE

Yes: 26 • No: 0

House vote • 4/15/2026

HOUSE FINANCE, WAYS, AND MEANS SUBCOMMITTEE

Yes: 12 • No: 0

House vote • 4/7/2026

HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE

Yes: 19 • No: 1