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HB2174 • 2026

Firearms and Ammunition

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

Crime Firearms
Enacted

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

Sponsor
Travis, Bailey
Last action
2026-05-27
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 1141
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Firearms and Ammunition

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.

What This Bill Does

  • 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.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2174

Plain English: House Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • House Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB2174 Farmer Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 2469 House Bill No.
  • 2174* HA0774 014845 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2469

Plain English: Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB2469 Gardenhire Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 2469 House Bill No.
  • 2174* SA0905 014845 - 1 - by deleting all language after the enacting clause and substituting: SECTION 1.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 1141

  2. 2026-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 07/01/2026

  3. 2026-05-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 1141

  4. 2026-05-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-05-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2026-05-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2026-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2026-04-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2026-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2026-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  11. 2026-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar 2 for 4/22/2026

  12. 2026-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/22/2026

  13. 2026-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 86, Nays 2, PNV 2

  14. 2026-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0774)

  15. 2026-04-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  16. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  18. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 2

  20. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0905)

  21. 2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026

  22. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final cal. 2 of Calendar & Rules Committee

  23. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026

  24. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  26. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026

  27. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  28. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  29. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026

  30. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026

  31. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026

  32. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026

  33. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026

  34. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/18/2026

  35. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/11/2026

  36. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  37. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee

  38. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  39. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/3/2026

  40. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee to 3/4/2026

  41. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 2/18/2026

  42. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee

  43. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  44. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  45. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  46. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  47. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  48. 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.