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HB1985 • 2026

Fire Prevention and Investigation

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 32, relative to alarm systems contractors.

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Active

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

Sponsor
Grills, Stevens
Last action
2026-04-09
Official status
Received from House, Passed on First Consideration
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included details about managed service providers and IP cameras which are not directly supported by the provided official source material. These were removed as they do not align with the bill's summary or text.

Changes to Alarm Systems Contractor Licensing

This bill amends Tennessee's laws regarding alarm system contractors by removing licensing requirements for selling and installing still cameras used for detecting theft or break-ins.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the requirement that people need a special license to sell, install, service, monitor, or respond to still cameras used for detecting fire, burglary, breaking or entering, intrusion, shoplifting, pilferage, or theft.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who sell, install, service, monitor, or respond to alarm systems and still cameras in Tennessee.
  • Managed services providers who manage customer IT systems and offer direct sales, installation, or maintenance for IP cameras connected to their network if they meet certain conditions.

Terms To Know

managed services provider
A business that manages and maintains a customer's information technology systems.
IP camera
An internet protocol camera used for video surveillance over a network or the internet.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what constitutes 'proper employee vetting' and leaves this to the commissioner's discretion.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect public safety and security measures in Tennessee.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB1985

Plain English: The amendment adds new requirements for managed service providers who install or maintain IP cameras, but excludes those who offer monitoring services.

  • Adds a new subdivision to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-32-305 that requires managed service providers to meet certain conditions if they sell, install, or maintain IP cameras connected to their network.
  • Requires these providers to show proof of employee vetting and have less than 25% of their annual revenue from the services related to IP camera installation or maintenance.
  • The amendment does not specify what constitutes 'proof of employee vetting satisfactory to the commissioner'.
  • It is unclear how this new subdivision will be enforced and what penalties might apply for non-compliance.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2291

Plain English: The amendment adds new requirements for managed service providers who install or maintain IP cameras but do not offer monitoring services.

  • Adds a new subdivision to Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-32-305 that requires managed service providers offering direct sales, installation, or maintenance of IP cameras connected to their network to meet certain conditions if they derive less than 25% of annual revenue from these services.
  • Requires such providers to prove employee vetting satisfactory to the commissioner.
  • The amendment does not specify what constitutes 'proof of employee vetting satisfactory to the commissioner'.
  • It is unclear how this new subdivision interacts with existing regulations or other parts of the bill.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  2. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  3. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  4. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  5. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 94, Nays 0, PNV 0

  6. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0960)

  7. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  8. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  9. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026

  10. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  11. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 4/7/2026

  12. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Commerce Committee for 4/1/2026

  13. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Commerce Committee to 4/1/2026

  14. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Commerce Committee for 3/25/2026

  15. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Commerce Committee

  16. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Business & Utilities Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  17. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Business and Utilities Subcommittee to 3/18/2026

  18. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Commerce and Labor Committee to 3/17/2026

  19. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Business & Utilities Subcommittee for 3/11/2026

  20. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Business and Utilities Subcommittee to 3/11/2026

  21. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/10/2026

  22. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Commerce and Labor Committee to 3/10/2026

  23. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Business & Utilities Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  24. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Commerce and Labor Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

  25. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Commerce and Labor Committee

  26. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Business & Utilities Subcommittee

  27. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Commerce Committee

  28. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  29. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  30. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  31. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law
prohibits a person from selling and installing, servicing, monitoring, or responding to alarm signals, signal devices, fire alarms, burglar alarms, television, or still cameras used to detect fire, burglary, breaking or entering, intrusion, shoplifting, p
ilferage or theft in violation of the Alarm Contractors Licensing Act of 1991. This bill eliminates the prohibition on the sale, installation, service, monitoring, or responding to television or still cameras.

ON APRIL 6, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1985, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1
rewrites the bill to, instead, add that a managed services provider that (i) provides direct sales, installation, or maintenance service for an IP camera connected to the managed services provider's network; (ii) derives less than 25% of the managed servi
ces provider's gross annual revenue from those services; and provides proof of employee vetting satisfactory to the commissioner is specifically excluded from the requirements of the Alarm Contractors Licensing Act. That Act provides uniform
procedures and qualifications throughout this state for the certifying, licensing and regulation of alarm systems contractors and to protects the safety and security of persons and property by assuring the competence of individuals or companies offering a
larm systems and services to the general public. However, such exemption does not apply to a managed services provider that offers monitoring services. A "managed services provider" is defined as a business entity that manages and maintains a customer's
i
nformation technology systems. This amendment takes effect upon becoming a law.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2291
By Stevens

HOUSE BILL 1985
By Grills
HB1985
011421
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62,
Chapter 32, relative to alarm systems contractors.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-32-304, is amended by deleting
subsection (j) and substituting:
(j) A person shall not sell and install, service, monitor, or respond to alarm
signals, signal devices, fire alarms, or burglar alarms used to detect fire, burglary,
breaking or entering, intrusion, shoplifting, pilferage, or theft in violation of this part or the
rules adopted under this part.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.