Firearms and Ammunition

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's full impact and enrollment rates are uncertain until it is enacted and implemented.

Suicide Prevention Act of 2025

This bill requires the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) to establish a program where people can voluntarily give up their right to buy, possess, or transport firearms for a period if they are concerned about their mental health or have been treated in a hospital.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the TBI to create a revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program for individuals who are concerned about their mental health or have been hospitalized for treatment of a mental illness.
• The TBI must establish a request form that includes information such as the enrollee's declaration of any owned firearms and their planned disposition, designation of up to two guardian angels, and an acknowledgment of the offense for possessing, purchasing, or transporting firearms while enrolled in the program.
• Once someone joins the program, they cannot buy, possess, or transport firearms until at least 14 calendar days have passed since filing the request form. The Department of Safety revokes their handgun carry permit upon receiving the completed form from the TBI.
• After at least 14 calendar days, an enrollee can revoke their decision and regain firearm rights if they are not otherwise ineligible under federal or state law.
• The TBI must notify relevant parties when someone joins or leaves the program and remove them from background check systems.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who voluntarily give up their right to buy firearms due to mental health concerns or hospitalization.
• The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) which manages the program and creates request forms.
• Circuit court clerks responsible for verifying identities and transmitting completed forms.
• Gun dealers advised if a person is prohibited from buying, possessing, or transporting firearms.

Terms To Know

Guardian Angel

A designated person who can be notified if someone revokes their enrollment in the program.

Revocable Voluntary Waiver of Firearms Rights Program

The program where people voluntarily give up their right to buy, possess, or transport firearms for a period due to mental health concerns or hospitalization.

Limits and Unknowns

• It is unclear how many people will choose to enroll in this program and its overall impact on suicide prevention.
• The financial costs of implementing this program are estimated but may vary based on additional legislation.

Official Summary Text

This bill enacts the "Suicide Prevention Act of 2025," which requires, in an effort to prevent violence, including suicide, homicide, or mass shooting by persons with mental illness using firearms, the Tennessee bureau of investigatio
n ("TBI") to
establish a program for revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights so as to avoid purchase, possession, and transportation of firearms by and sale of firearms to
(i) a person
who is voluntarily admitted to a public or private hospital or tr
eatment resource for diagnosis, observation, and treatment of a mental illness or serious emotional disturbance
, who may
submit the request form to a mental health counselor upon release from the hospital or treatment resource
and
then
must
submit the form
to the circuit court clerk in the county where the hospital or treatment resource is located
, or (ii) a person who
is concerned about the person's mental health and desires to enroll in the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program
, who may
su
bmit the request form to the circuit court clerk in the county in which the person resides.

REQUEST FORM

This bill requires the TBI to create a request form for revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights. The form must include certain information de
scribed in this bill, including (i) a statement at the top
that the form is to be submitted to the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the enrollee resides
, (ii) a space for the enrollee to designate up to two persons as guardian angels, if t
he enrollee wishes to do so, provide contact information for the guardian angels and have such persons sign indicating consent to be the enrollee's guardian angel, (iii) a declaration of any firearms that are in the ownership of the enrollee and the plann
e
d disposition of each firearm, and (iv) an acknowledgement by the enrollee that it is an offense
for a person who is enrolled in the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program to possess, purchase, or transport a firearm and that a violation is
a Class C misdemeanor
, punishable by a term of imprisonment not greater than 30 days, a fine not to exceed $50, or both.

I
f the request form is submitted directly to the circuit court clerk, then
this bill requires the
circuit court clerk
to
require the
person to present a valid photo identification to verify the person's identity prior to accepting the form.
The clerk must also transmit the completed request form to the TBI within three business days for entry into the revocable voluntary waiver of fir
earms rights program and transmit a copy of the completed request form to the department of safety within three business days.
Upon receipt of the form, the department of safety must revoke the person's handgun carry permit
.

This bill generally prohibit
s a
request form used to enroll in or withdraw from the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program
from
be
ing
considered by a court in a legal proceeding in which the person executing the form is a party
. However,
such form may be used in a cri
minal prosecution for a violation of
perjury or the sale of dangerous weapons
.

This bill requires the TBI to maintain and update the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights request data to be used
to advise a gun dealer if the TBI's records indicat
e a firearm buyer is prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm.

Revocation

No sooner than 14 calendar days after
filing a revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights request form,
this bill authorizes
an enrollee
to
file a revocation of the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights with the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the enrollee resides. The circuit court clerk must require a valid photo identification to verify the person's identity pri
o
r to accepting the revocation form. The filing of a revocation form allows the person executing the form to purchase, possess, or transport a firearm after the TBI has completed processing the form unless the person is otherwise ineligible to purchase or

possess a firearm under federal or state law. The circuit court clerk must transmit the completed revocation request form to the TBI within three business days and transmit a copy of the completed revocation request form to the department of safety withi
n
three

business days.

By the end of the 14th business day following the date on which the request for revocation was received, this bill requires the TBI to (i) notify the person
that the person's name has been removed from the revocable voluntary waiver
of firearms rights program
, (ii) make reasonable efforts to inform the person's guardian angel of the revocation if the person has designated a guardian angel, (iii) destroy all records related to the person's enrollment in the revocable voluntary waiver
of firearms rights program, and (iv) remove the person from the national
instant criminal background check system and other federal or state computer-based systems used by law enforcement to identify prohibited purchasers of firearms in which the person's
enrollment in the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program was entered, unless the person is otherwise ineligible to purchase or possess a firearm under federal or state law.

By the end of the 14
th
business day following the date on which th
e request for revocation was received, this bill requires the department of safety to (i) reinstate the person's handgun carry permit, unless the person is otherwise ineligible to obtain a permit under state or federal law, and (ii) destroy all records re
l
ated to the person's enrollment in the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program after reinstating the person's handgun carry permit.

VIOLATIONS

This bill provides that a person who
knowingly makes a false statement regarding the person's
identity on an enrollment or revocation form for the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights commits perjury
.

This bill also provides that it is an offense of a Class C misdemeanor,
punishable by a term of imprisonment not greater than 30 days
,
a f
ine not to exceed $50, or bot
h,

for a person who is enrolled in the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program to purchase, possess, or transport a firearm.

CONFIDENTILAITY PROTECTION

This bill generally requires
the
TBI
and the department o
f safety
to
withhold from public disclosure all information regarding a request to be enrolled into or removed from the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program and any other personal identifying information contained in or related to a revoca
ble voluntary waiver of firearms rights
. However,
such information may be disclosed to a law enforcement officer acting in the performance of official duties, a gun dealer, the applicant with respect to the applicant's own information, or in the course of
criminal prosecution for a violation of
perjury
. Records obtained and produced pursuant to this
bill
are confidential and are not an open record.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1094
By Hensley

HOUSE BILL 1207
By Kumar

HB1207
002921
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 17, Part 13, relative to suicide prevention.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "Suicide Prevention Act of
2025."
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
39-17-1367.
(a)
(1) In an effort to prevent violence, including suicide, homicide, or mass
shooting by persons with mental illness using firearms, the Tennessee bureau of
investigation (TBI) shall establish a program for revocable voluntary waiver of
firearms rights so as to avoid purchase, possession, and transportation of
firearms by and sale of firearms to:
(A) A person who is voluntarily admitted to a public or private
hospital or treatment resource for diagnosis, observation, and treatment
of a mental illness or serious emotional disturbance in accordance with
title 33, chapter 6, part 2. A person described in this subdivision (a)(1)(A)
may submit the request form described in subdivision (a)(2) to a mental
health counselor upon release from the hospital or treatment resource,
who must then submit the form to the circuit court clerk in the county
where the hospital or treatment resource is located; or

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(B) A person who is concerned about the person's mental health
and desires to enroll in the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights
program. A person described in this subdivision (a)(1)(B) may submit the
request form described in subdivision (a)(2) to the circuit court clerk in the
county in which the person resides.
(2) The TBI shall create a request form for revocable voluntary waiver of
firearms rights. The form must include:
(A) A statement at the top that the form is to be submitted to the
clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the enrollee resides;
(B) A space for the enrollee to designate up to two (2) persons as
guardian angels, if the enrollee wishes to do so, provide contact
information for the guardian angels, and have the guardian angels sign
indicating consent to be the enrollee's guardian angel;
(C) An explanation that:
(i) Reasonable efforts will be made to inform a guardian
angel if the enrollee revokes the enrollee's enrollment in the
revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program; and
(ii) A designated guardian angel has no obligation to
remain available to receive or act upon the information received if
the enrollee revokes enrollment in the revocable voluntary waiver
of firearms rights program and that there is no civil or criminal
liability for failure to receive or act upon the information;
(D) A declaration of any firearms that are in the ownership of the
enrollee and the planned disposition of each firearm;

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(E) An attestation that the enrollee does not currently possess or
have access to any firearms at the time of enrolling in the revocable
voluntary waiver of firearms rights program; and
(F) An acknowledgement by the enrollee that it is an offense for a
person who is enrolled in the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights
program to possess, purchase, or transport a firearm and that a violation
of subsection (f) is a Class C misdemeanor.
(3) If the request form is submitted directly to the circuit court clerk, then
the circuit court clerk must require the person to present a valid photo
identification to verify the person's identity prior to accepting the form.
(4) The circuit court clerk must:
(A) Transmit the completed request form to the TBI within three
(3) business days for entry into the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms
rights program; and
(B) Transmit a copy of the completed request form to the
department of safety within three (3) business days.
(5)
(A) The TBI must maintain and update the revocable voluntary
waiver of firearms rights request data to be used, in accordance with §
39-17-1316, to advise a gun dealer if the TBI's records indicate a firearm
buyer is prohibited from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm.
(B) Upon receipt of the form, the department of safety must
revoke the person's handgun carry permit under § 39-17-1351 and § 39-
17-1366.
(6)

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(A) No sooner than fourteen (14) calendar days after filing a
revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights request form, an enrollee
may file a revocation of the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights
with the clerk of the circuit court of the county in which the enrollee
resides. The circuit court clerk must require a valid photo identification to
verify the person's identity prior to accepting the revocation form. The
filing of a revocation form allows the person executing the form to
purchase, possess, or transport a firearm after the TBI has completed
processing the form unless the person is otherwise ineligible to purchase
or possess a firearm under federal or state law. The circuit court clerk
must transmit the completed revocation request form to the TBI within
three (3) business days and transmit a copy of the completed revocation
request form to the department of safety within three (3) business days.
(B) By the end of the fourteenth business day following the date
on which the request for revocation was received, the TBI must:
(i) Notify the person that the person's name has been
removed from the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights
program;
(ii) Make reasonable efforts to inform the person's
guardian angel of the revocation if the person has designated a
guardian angel;
(iii) Destroy all records related to the person's enrollment
in the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program; and
(iv) Remove the person from the national instant criminal
background check system and other federal or state computer-

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based systems used by law enforcement to identify prohibited
purchasers of firearms in which the person's enrollment in the
revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program was
entered, unless the person is otherwise ineligible to purchase or
possess a firearm under federal or state law.
(C) By the end of the fourteenth business day following the date
on which the request for revocation was received, the department of
safety must:
(i) Reinstate the person's handgun carry permit under §
39-17-1351 and § 39-17-1366, unless the person is otherwise
ineligible to obtain a permit under state or federal law; and
(ii) Destroy all records related to the person's enrollment in
the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program after
reinstating the person's handgun carry permit.
(b) A person who knowingly makes a false statement regarding the person's
identity on an enrollment or revocation form for the revocable voluntary waiver of
firearms rights commits perjury, as defined in § 39-16-702.
(c) The TBI is authorized to promulgate rules to effectuate this section. The
rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures
Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5.
(d) Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, the bureau and the department
of safety shall withhold from public disclosure all information regarding a request to be
enrolled into or removed from the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program
and any other personal identifying information contained in or related to a revocable
voluntary waiver of firearms rights, except that such information may be disclosed to a

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law enforcement officer acting in the performance of official duties, a gun dealer as
required by § 39-17-1316, the applicant with respect to the applicant's own information,
or in the course of criminal prosecution for a violation of subsection (f) or § 39-16-702.
Records obtained and produced pursuant to this section are confidential and are not an
open record pursuant to title 10, chapter 7.
(e) A request form used to enroll in or withdraw from the revocable voluntary
waiver of firearms rights program must not be considered by a court in a legal
proceeding in which the person executing the form is a party, except that such form may
be used in a criminal prosecution for a violation of subsection (f), § 39-16-702, or § 39-
17-1316.
(f) It is an offense for a person who is enrolled in the revocable voluntary waiver
of firearms rights program to purchase, possess, or transport a firearm. A violation of
this subsection (f) is a Class C misdemeanor.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1316(a)(1)(A), is amended by
adding the following new subdivision:
(vi) Are enrolled in the revocable voluntary waiver of firearms rights program
pursuant to § 39-17-1367.
SECTION 4. For the purpose of implementation, this act takes effect upon becoming a
law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect January 1, 2026,
the public welfare requiring it.