Criminal Offenses

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was withdrawn on February 2, 2026, so the effective date of July 1, 2026, mentioned in the official text will not be applicable.

Law to Protect Public Officials and Their Families from Threats

This bill makes threatening a public official or their immediate family because of the person's role as an official a criminal offense.

What This Bill Does

• Creates a new law that says intentionally communicating a threat to a public official or a member of their immediate family is illegal if the person making the threat knows who they are talking to and intends it to be threatening due to the official’s position.

Who It Names or Affects

• Public officials in Tennessee
• Members of public officials’ immediate families

Terms To Know

Class E felony

A serious crime that can lead to prison time and fines.

Immediate family

Includes parents, children, spouses, siblings, and step or adoptive relatives of a public official.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill was withdrawn on February 2, 2026, so it is not currently active.
• It does not specify what happens if someone accidentally makes a threat without knowing the person they are talking to is an official or family member.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 2127
By Taylor

HOUSE BILL 2040
By Parkinson
HB2040
008763
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
relative to threats against certain persons.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 16, Part 5, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) A person commits an offense who intentionally communicates a threat to a
public official, or a member of a public official's immediate family, and:
(1) The person communicating the threat knows the person threatened is
a public official or a member of the public official's immediate family;
(2) The person communicating the threat intends the communication to
be a threat of harm to the public official, or a member of the public official's
immediate family, because of the public official's official capacity; and
(3) A reasonable person would perceive the communication to be a
threat of harm.
(b) A violation of subsection (a) is a Class E felony.
(c) As used in this section:
(1) "Communicate" means the same as defined in § 39-17-308;
(2) "Immediate family" means a public official's spouse, parent, sibling, or
child and includes stepparents, stepchildren, stepsiblings, and adoptive
relationships; and
(3) "Public official" means the same as defined in § 39-16-516.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.