AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 29; Title 4, Chapter 3, Part 20 and Section 38-3-114, relative to the office of homeland security.

Tennessee creates homeland security office with safeguards

Beginning April 16, 2026, the law creates Tennessee's Office of Homeland Security within the Department of Safety. The commissioner appoints its leader, and the office may hire commissioned agents and other staff. It leads state security planning and operations, develops a strategy against terrorism, and helps government agencies and private groups. It coordinates school-security policy, reviews school security plans, and helps secure election systems when the Secretary of State requests it. It shares information through a statewide intelligence center and administers funds authorized by lawmakers. State or local law-enforcement chiefs may request technical and investigative support. Its listed investigations require reasonable suspicion that a Tennessee law violation has occurred, is happening, or is imminent. These cover terrorism; threats or attacks against schools, critical infrastructure, or public officials; and protection of officials, locations, and events. Online misinformation or disinformation campaigns are not grounds for investigation unless reasonably suspected of furthering or constituting a Tennessee crime. Agents may investigate other crimes discovered during authorized investigations; other police agencies retain authority to investigate these crimes. Commissioned agents have statewide police powers, including arresting people, serving criminal court papers, and carrying weapons for reasonable duty purposes. Authorized off-duty weapon carrying is also allowed, and local jails must accept their arrestees on the same basis as other police arrests. On-duty agents must carry a badge and identification and show both on demand and within a reasonable time before arrest. Agents must complete initial and ongoing training substantially equivalent to Tennessee's police training standards.