Firearms and Ammunition

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

Firearms

Active

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

Sponsor: Travis, Bailey
Last action: 2026-03-26
Official status: Reset on Final cal. 2 of Calendar & Rules Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill's original effective date has been changed from upon becoming law to July 1, 2026.

Judges' Right to Carry Weapons

This bill changes Tennessee laws to allow certain judges to carry weapons in places where police officers are allowed to carry guns.

What This Bill Does

Clarifies that chancery, circuit, or appellate court judges and governor-appointed judges can carry firearms anywhere a police officer is permitted to carry a gun if they have permission to carry a handgun.
Removes the requirement for these judges to keep their handguns concealed while performing official duties.

Who It Names or Affects

Sitting or retired chancery, circuit, or appellate court judges
Governor-appointed judges

Terms To Know

Handgun carry permit: A legal document that allows a person to carry a handgun in public.
Judicial powers: The authority given to judges by law to make decisions and enforce laws.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill's effective date has been changed from upon becoming law to July 1, 2026.
It is not clear how this change will affect current restrictions on carrying weapons in court buildings.

Amendments

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

HA0774

Amendment 1-0 to HB2174

Plain English: The amendment changes part of Tennessee law about who can carry a handgun by adding specific requirements for judges.

Adds new rules that allow judges to carry handguns if they have judicial powers and are authorized under another section of the law.

The exact details on how judges get authorization to carry handguns are not provided in this amendment text.

SA0905

Amendment 1-0 to SB2469

Plain English: The amendment changes part of Tennessee law about who can carry a handgun by adding specific requirements for judges.

Adds new rules that allow judges to carry handguns if they have judicial powers and are authorized under another section of the law.

The exact details on how judges will be authorized to carry handguns under § 39-17-1351 are not explained in this amendment text.
It is unclear what specific changes or additions § 39-17-1306(c)(3) had before the amendment.

Bill History

2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 2
2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0905)
2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026
2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly
Reset on Final cal. 2 of Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/25/2026
2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026
2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/18/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/11/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/3/2026
2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee to 3/4/2026
2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 2/18/2026
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Introduced, Passed on First Consideration
2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law generally provides that a person commits a Class E felony if the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about the person while inside any building in which judicial proceedings are in progress any weapon prohibited by pr
esent law, for the purpose of going armed. Further, if the weapon carried is a firearm, the person is in violation of such prohibition regardless of whether the weapon is carried for the purpose of going armed.

Present law provides certain exceptions to the above prohibition. One such exception is for any person who is in the actual discharge of official duties as a judge, and meets all of the following criteria:



Is authorized to carry a handgun.


Keeps the handgun concealed at all times when in the discharge of such duties.


Is vested with judicial powers.

This bill revises the above exception by clarifying that the exception applies to a chancery, circuit, or appellate court judge, or a governor-appointed judge, and removes the requirement that such person keep the handgun concealed at all times when in t
he discharge of their duties.

This bill also authorizes a sitting or retired chancery, circuit, or appellate court judge, or a sitting or retired governor-appointed judge, to carry a weapon, including a firearm, in any location and manner where a law enforcement officer is permitted
to carry a firearm pursuant to present law, if the judge is authorized to carry a handgun.

ON APRIL 13, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2469, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 removes the provision summarized in the last paragraph of the bill summary and changes the effective date of the bill from upon becoming a law to July 1, 2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 2469
By Bailey

HOUSE BILL 2174
By Travis
HB2174
012396
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1306, is amended by deleting
subdivision (c)(3) and substituting:
(3) Is a chancery, circuit, or appellate court judge, or a governor-appointed
judge, and:
(A) Is authorized to carry a handgun pursuant to § 39-17-1351; and
(B) Is vested with judicial powers under § 16-1-101;
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
A sitting or retired chancery, circuit, or appellate court judge, or a sitting or retired
governor-appointed judge, is authorized to carry a weapon, including a firearm, in any
location and manner where a law enforcement officer is permitted to carry a firearm
pursuant to § 39-17-1350, if the judge is authorized to carry a handgun pursuant to § 39-
17-1351.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.