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HB2204 • 2026

Law Enforcement

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 8; Title 9 and Title 38, relative to compensation of law enforcement officers.

Crime Labor
Active

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

Sponsor
Williams, Yager
Last action
2026-04-16
Official status
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Study on Law Enforcement Officer Salaries and Benefits

This bill requires TACIR to study salaries and benefits for state and local law enforcement officers in Tennessee and report findings by January 31, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires TACIR to conduct a study on the salaries and other benefits of state and local law enforcement officers.
  • Includes analysis on how current pay affects recruitment, staffing, and retention, particularly in smaller city and county departments.
  • Analyzes the impact of state salary increases on local officer recruitment and retention.
  • Publishes a report with findings and recommendations to be delivered by January 31, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR)
  • State and local law enforcement officers in Tennessee

Terms To Know

Local Law Enforcement Officer
A full-time, salaried employee of a political subdivision who is responsible for preventing crime and apprehending offenders.
State Law Enforcement Officer
A full-time, salaried employee of the state involved in law enforcement activities on a day-to-day basis.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify additional funding for TACIR to conduct the study.
  • It is unclear how the findings will be used or implemented after the report is published.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2204

Plain English: House State & Local Government 1 Amendment No.

  • House State & Local Government 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to HB2204 Crawford Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 2177* House Bill No.
  • 2204 HA0796 015563 - 1 - by deleting the effective date section and substituting instead: SECTION 5.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2177

Plain English: Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.

  • Senate Judiciary 1 Amendment No.
  • 1 to SB2177 Gardenhire Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Bill No.
  • 2177* House Bill No.
  • 2204 SA0907 015563 - 1 - by deleting the effective date section and substituting instead: SECTION 5.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026

  2. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/16/2026

  3. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  4. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2026

  5. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  6. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  7. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  8. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  9. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 0

  10. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0907)

  11. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  12. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/9/2026

  13. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to the TACIR Calendar

  14. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/1/2026

  15. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0

  16. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  17. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  18. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  23. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  24. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/17/2026

  26. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) withdrawn.

  27. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor change.

  28. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

  29. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/18/2026

  30. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026

  31. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026

  32. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  33. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  34. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  35. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  36. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  37. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  38. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  39. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  40. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill requires the Tennessee advisory commission on intergovernmental relations (TACIR) to conduct a study of the salaries and other benefits paid to state and local law enforcement officers in this state. The study must include the following:



Analysis of how current salaries and benefits paid to such officers affect recruitment, staffing, and retention, particularly in smaller city and county departments, and evaluate potential alternatives for improvement.


Analysis of how state salary increases and adjustments for state law enforcement officers affect recruitment, staffing, and retention of local law enforcement officers.

"LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER" DEFINED

As used in this bill, a "local law enforcement officer" means a full-time, salaried employee of a political subdivision who is a sheriff, sheriff's deputy, police officer, chief of police, or other law enforcement officer whose primary responsibility is
the prevention and detection of crime and apprehension of offenders, or who is a correctional officer with the political subdivision.

"STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER" DEFINED

As used in this bill, a "state law enforcement officer" means a full-time, salaried employee of the state who is a commissioned member of the department of safety, an agent of the Tennessee bureau of investigation, a commissioned employee of the wildlife
resources agency engaged in law enforcement activities on a day-to-day basis, a commissioned member of the alcoholic beverage commission who is engaged in law enforcement activities on a day-to-day basis, or a correctional officer vested with the powers
of
a law enforcement officer by the commissioner of correction.

REPORT

This bill requires TACIR to publish a report of its findings and recommendations and deliver a copy of the report to the governor, the speaker of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the legislative librarian no later than January
31, 2027. TACIR may request information and input from other appropriate state and local governmental entities, as necessary, and such entities must comply with TACIR's request. The study must be conducted from TACIR's existing resources.

ON APRIL 9, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2177, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 authorizes the commissioner of safety to establish a hazardous
duty designation for members of the highway patrol that may be used to authorize additional compensation for designated members.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2177
By Yager

HOUSE BILL 2204
By Williams
HB2204
009961
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 8; Title 9 and Title 38, relative to
compensation of law enforcement officers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. The Tennessee advisory commission on intergovernmental relations
(TACIR) shall conduct a study of the salaries and other benefits paid to state and local law
enforcement officers in this state. The study must include:
(1) Analysis of how current salaries and benefits paid to state and local law
enforcement officers affect recruitment, staffing, and retention, particularly in smaller city
and county departments, and evaluate potential alternatives for improvement; and
(2) Analysis of how state salary increases and adjustments for state law
enforcement officers affect recruitment, staffing, and retention of local law enforcement
officers.
SECTION 2. TACIR shall publish a report of its findings and recommendations and
deliver a copy of the report to the governor, the speaker of the senate, the speaker of the house
of representatives, and the legislative librarian no later than January 31, 2027. The report may
be delivered electronically.
SECTION 3. TACIR may request information and input from other appropriate state and
local governmental entities, as necessary, and such entities shall comply with TACIR's request.
The study must be conducted from TACIR's existing resources.
SECTION 4. As used in this act:
(1) "Local law enforcement officer" means a full-time, salaried employee of a
political subdivision who is a sheriff, sheriff's deputy, police officer, chief of police, or

- 2 - 009961

other law enforcement officer whose primary responsibility is the prevention and
detection of crime and apprehension of offenders, or who is a correctional officer with
the political subdivision; and
(2) "State law enforcement officer" means a full-time, salaried employee of the
state who is a commissioned member of the department of safety, an agent of the
Tennessee bureau of investigation, a commissioned employee of the wildlife resources
agency engaged in law enforcement activities on a day-to-day basis, a commissioned
member of the alcoholic beverage commission who is engaged in law enforcement
activities on a day-to-day basis, or a correctional officer vested with the powers of a law
enforcement officer by the commissioner of correction.
SECTION 5. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.