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: 2026-04-08
Official status: Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
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.

HA0796

Amendment 1-0 to HB2204

Plain English: This amendment changes how Tennessee Code Annotated is updated by adding a new section that allows the commissioner of safety to designate certain highway patrol officers for hazardous duty and provide them with additional compensation.

Adds a new section in Title 4, Chapter 7, Part 2 of Tennessee Code Annotated, giving the commissioner of safety the authority to establish a hazardous duty designation for members of the highway patrol.
This designation can be used to authorize extra pay for certain officers.

The amendment does not specify what constitutes 'hazardous duty' or how much additional compensation would be provided.

SA0907

Amendment 1-0 to SB2177

Plain English: This amendment changes how Tennessee Code Annotated is updated by adding new rules for the commissioner of safety to give highway patrol officers extra pay for dangerous jobs.

Adds a new section in Title 4, Chapter 7, Part 2 of the Tennessee Code Annotated that allows the commissioner of safety to create a hazardous duty designation for members of the highway patrol.
This designation can be used to give additional compensation to certain highway patrol officers.

The amendment does not specify how much extra pay or what criteria are needed for the hazardous duty designation, which leaves these details unclear.

Bill History

2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 0
2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0907)
2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/9/2026
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to the TACIR Calendar
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/1/2026
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 8, Nays 0 PNV 0
2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
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
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. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026
2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly
Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/17/2026
2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) withdrawn.
2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor change.
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/18/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/16/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee
2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/4/2026
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to State & Local Government 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

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.