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HB0058 • 2026

Law Enforcement

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38, Chapter 8, relative to law enforcement officers.

Labor
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Hakeem, Akbari
Last action
2025-02-12
Official status
Withdrawn.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was withdrawn, so its future implementation is uncertain.

Law Enforcement Officer Background Checks

This bill amends Tennessee's laws to require current law enforcement agencies to contact previous employers when investigating an applicant’s moral character.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends a part of the Tennessee Code that deals with hiring law enforcement officers.
  • Requires employing law enforcement agencies to contact any prior law enforcement agency where an officer or special deputy worked as part of their thorough investigation into good moral character.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Law enforcement agencies in Tennessee
  • People applying to be law enforcement officers

Terms To Know

Good Moral Character
A standard used by the hiring agency to decide if someone is suitable for a job as a police officer.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill was withdrawn and its current status is unknown.
  • It does not specify what happens if previous agencies do not respond or provide information.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate Judiciary Committee

  2. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Withdrawn.

  3. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c Public Service Subcommittee of State & Local Government Committee

  4. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  5. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  6. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 2/12/2025

  7. 2025-01-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  8. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  9. 2025-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  10. 2025-01-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  11. 2025-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C held on desk, pending appointment of Standing Committees

  12. 2025-01-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  13. 2025-01-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 235
By Akbari

HOUSE BILL 58
By Hakeem

HB0058
000740
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38,
Chapter 8, relative to law enforcement officers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 38-8-106, is amended by deleting
subdivision (8) and substituting:
(8) Have a good moral character as determined by a thorough investigation
conducted by the employing agency. If the person has prior law enforcement
experience, then the employing agency shall contact any prior law enforcement agency
that employed the person as part of the thorough investigation; and
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.