KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Tennessee

HB1164 • 2026

Law Enforcement

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38 and Title 58, relative to military decorations.

Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
McCalmon, Johnson
Last action
2025-05-13
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 391
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on penalties for non-compliance with the allowed times.

Wearing Military Decorations by Law Enforcement

This law allows Tennessee's uniformed law enforcement officers to wear military decorations during specific times around Veterans Day and Memorial Day.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows uniformed law enforcement officers in Tennessee to wear medals, badges, and other decorations given by the U.S. armed forces, Tennessee National Guard, or state guard during the week before, on, and the day after Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
  • Employers of law enforcement officers can stop them from wearing military decorations if it is a safety risk.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Uniformed law enforcement officers in Tennessee
  • Employers of these officers

Terms To Know

Veterans Day
A day set aside to honor military veterans, observed on November 11th.
Memorial Day
A day of remembrance for those who have died in military service, observed on the last Monday in May.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law does not specify what happens if an officer wears decorations outside the allowed times.
  • It is unclear how employers will decide when wearing decorations poses a safety hazard.

Bill History

  1. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 391

  2. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 05/05/2025

  3. 2025-05-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 391

  4. 2025-05-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-04-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2025-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  8. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 96, Nays 0, PNV 0

  9. 2025-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  10. 2025-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 4/16/2025

  11. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/15/2025

  12. 2025-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  13. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/9/2025

  14. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/9/2025

  15. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/2/2025

  16. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/2/2025

  17. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  18. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/26/2025

  19. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/26/2025

  20. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  21. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 32, Nays 0

  22. 2025-03-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/17/2025

  23. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/19/2025

  24. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/19/2025

  25. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  26. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/12/2025

  27. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/12/2025

  28. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/11/2025

  29. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/5/2025

  30. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  31. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 2/26/2025

  32. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  33. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  34. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  35. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  36. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  37. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  38. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  39. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  40. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  41. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 1090
By Johnson

HOUSE BILL 1164
By McCalmon

HB1164
002325
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38
and Title 58, relative to military decorations.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38, Chapter 8, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) Decorations or medals from the armed forces of the United States, the
Tennessee national guard, or the state guard, or any service medals or badges awarded
to the members of such forces, may be worn by uniformed law enforcement personnel
during the week prior to Veterans Day and Memorial Day, the day of Veterans Day and
Memorial Day, and the day immediately following Veterans Day and Memorial Day.
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the employer of the uniformed law
enforcement personnel may prohibit the wearing of military decorations pursuant to this
section if the employer determines that wearing the military decorations poses a safety
hazard to the uniformed law enforcement personnel or to the public.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.