# Tennessee SB 2597: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 70, relative to wildlife resources. Tennessee SB 2597, AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 70, relative to wildlife resources., is a 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) Senate bill sponsored by no sponsor on record; status signed, last action 2026-05-04 (Effective date(s) 07/01/2026); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2597-2025-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Tennessee SB 2597 - State: Tennessee - Session: 114th General Assembly (2025-2026) - Title: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 70, relative to wildlife resources. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-02-02 - Last action: 2026-05-04, Effective date(s) 07/01/2026 - Sponsors: no sponsor on record - Cosponsors: 2 - Subjects: Tennessee Fish & Wildlife Commission - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 3 (122 yes, 3 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 2 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Local police can enforce wildlife safety rules: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency can make enforcement agreements with local law enforcement agencies. These agreements cover only public-safety concerns involving people and wildlife, such as feeding wildlife. Each agreement must list the wildlife laws, rules, or comm… - New penalties for feeding black bears: cost, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, the law bans feeding black bears in areas designated by the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission. Knowingly feeding a bear there is a Class B misdemeanor with a fine of at least $250. Unknowingly feeding a bear by knowingly leaving food or garbage unsecured and accessible… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Cosponsor: Janice Bowling (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Jessie Seal (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-30 | House | FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/30/2026 | pass | 84 | 3 | | | 2026-03-16 | Senate | FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/16/2026 | pass | 30 | 0 | | | 2026-03-04 | Senate | SENATE ENERGY, AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE | pass | 8 | 0 | | ## Actions (22) - 2026-05-04: Effective date(s) 07/01/2026 - 2026-05-04: Pub. Ch. 738 - 2026-04-14: Signed by Governor. (Senate) - 2026-04-02: Transmitted to Governor for action. (Senate) - 2026-04-02: Signed by H. Speaker (House) - 2026-04-01: Signed by Senate Speaker (Senate) - 2026-04-01: Enrolled and ready for signatures (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Passed H., Ayes 84, Nays 3, PNV 1 (House) - 2026-03-30: Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0622) (House) - 2026-03-30: Subst. for comp. HB. (House) - 2026-03-19: Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk. (House) - 2026-03-16: Sponsor(s) Added. (Senate) - 2026-03-16: Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 30, Nays 0 (Senate) - 2026-03-16: Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0595) (Senate) - 2026-03-16: Engrossed; ready for transmission to House (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/16/2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-04: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0 (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 3/4/2026 (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Introduced, Passed on First Consideration (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Sponsor change. (Senate) - 2026-02-02: Filed for introduction (Senate) ## Bill text - Enrolled / Public Chapter: [PDF](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0738.pdf) - Fiscal Note: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/HB2215.pdf) - HA0622: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0622.pdf) - Introduced: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB2597.pdf) - SA0595: [PDF](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0595.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 2702: AN ACT to amend Chapter 154 of the Private Acts of 1955; as amended by Chapter 158 of the Private Acts of 1988; Chapter 204 of the Private Acts of 1990; and an… (failed) - SB 2690: AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the state government for the fiscal years beginning July 1, 2025, and July 1, 2026,… (signed) - SB 2725: AN ACT to amend Chapter 48 of the Private Acts of 1919; as amended and rewritten by Chapter 15 of the Private Acts of 2013; Chapter 25 of the Private Acts of 2… (failed) - SB 2716: AN ACT to amend Chapter 325 of the Private Acts of 1945; as amended by Chapter 335 of the Private Acts of 1968; Chapter 282 of the Private Acts of 1972; Chapte… (failed) - SB 2557: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 10; Title 12; Title 29; Title 35; Title 36; Title 37; Tit… (failed) - SB 2504: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 4; Title 58 and Title 67, Chapter 4, relative to disaster response. (signed) ## Sources - [Enrolled / Public Chapter (PDF)](https://publications.tnsosfiles.com/acts/114/pub/pc0738.pdf) - [Fiscal Note (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Fiscal/HB2215.pdf) - [HA0622 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/HA0622.pdf) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Bill/SB2597.pdf) - [SA0595 (PDF)](https://capitol.tn.gov/Bills/114/Amend/SA0595.pdf) ## Related - [SB 2702: AN ACT to amend Chapter 154 of the Private Acts of 1955; as amended by Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2702-2025-2026) - [SB 2690: AN ACT to make appropriations for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2690-2025-2026) - [SB 2725: AN ACT to amend Chapter 48 of the Private Acts of 1919; as amended and rewritte…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2725-2025-2026) - [SB 2716: AN ACT to amend Chapter 325 of the Private Acts of 1945; as amended by Chapter…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2716-2025-2026) - [SB 2557: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; T…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2557-2025-2026) - [SB 2504: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 4; Title 58 and Titl…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2504-2025-2026) - [Tennessee bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/tennessee/bills) - [Tennessee state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/tennessee) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/TN-SB2597-2025-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).