Tennessee Fish & Wildlife Commission

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide specific details on how TWRA will decide which local police agencies to work with or what happens in cases of unknowing violations beyond a first offense warning.

Tennessee Wildlife Enforcement and Bear Feeding Law

This bill allows TWRA to enter into agreements with local police for wildlife law enforcement and makes feeding black bears in prohibited areas a crime.

What This Bill Does

• Allows the executive director of TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) to make agreements with local police to help enforce wildlife laws, specifically related to human-wildlife interaction.
• Requires local police who join these agreements to report back to TWRA about any actions they take under the agreement.
• Makes it illegal to feed black bears in areas where feeding them is not allowed, which can be a Class B misdemeanor offense.

Who It Names or Affects

• TWRA (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency)
• Local law enforcement agencies
• People who feed black bears in prohibited areas

Terms To Know

TWRA

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, which manages wildlife and natural resources.

Class B misdemeanor

A type of crime that is less serious than a felony but more serious than an infraction or violation. It can result in fines and jail time.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how TWRA will decide which local police agencies to work with.
• It's unclear what happens if someone unknowingly feeds a bear without securing food properly, other than the first offense being only a warning.

Official Summary Text

Present law generally gives TWRA and the Tennessee fish and wildlife commission exclusive jurisdiction over the duties and functions relating to any laws relating to the management, protection, propagation, and conservation of wildlife, including hunting
and fishing. Present law also requires state and federal wildlife officers to enforce such laws.

This bill authorizes the executive director of TWRA to

enter into agreements with local law enforcement agencies for the limited purpose of assisting the agency with the enforcement of wildlife laws and proclamations specific to human wildlife interaction. Any such agreement must require the local law enforc
ement agency to provide regular reports to the executive director when the authority under the agreement is exercised.

This bill also makes it a Class B misdemeanor offense for a person to feed black bears within the confines of an area for which the commission has proclaimed that feeding black bears is prohibited. A knowing violation is punishable by a fine of no less
than $250. An unknowing violation that occurs as a result of knowingly leaving food or garbage unsecured and otherwise accessible to black bears is punishable by a written warning only for a first offense and a fine of no less than $250 for a second or s
ub
sequent offense.

ON MARCH 16, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2597, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 a
dds a preamble, specifies that an agreement between TWRA and a local law enforcement agency under this bill

does not authorize
the
local law enforcement agency to exceed
TWRA
's jurisdiction
, and establishes a criminal offense for feeding bears under certain circumstances.

This amendment makes it
an offense to feed a black bear within the confines of an area the
fish and wildlife
commission has proclaimed that feeding black bears is prohibited.

Knowingly feeding a black bear in violation of
this

amendment
is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of no less than $250, before the imposition of any additional court costs or fees.

Unknowingly feeding a black bear in violation of
this amendment
, that occurs as a result of knowingly leaving food or garbage unsecured and ot
herwise accessible to black bears, is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by:

(1) For a first offense, a written warning only; or

(2) For a second or subsequent offense, a fine of no less than $250, before the imposition of any additional court costs or fees.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 2597
By Southerland

HOUSE BILL 2215
By Atchley
HB2215
012442
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 70,
relative to wildlife resources.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-1-305, is amended by adding the
following new subdivision (13):
(A) Notwithstanding §§ 70-1-301(a) and 70-6-101(a), enter into agreements with
local law enforcement agencies for the limited purpose of assisting the agency with the
enforcement of this title, rules promulgated by the fish and wildlife commission, and
proclamations passed by the fish and wildlife commission;
(B) Such agreements must be limited in scope to assisting with matters of public
safety specific to human wildlife interaction such as feeding of wildlife and interaction
with wildlife that could cause a public safety concern. The agreements must specify the
laws, rules, or proclamations the local law enforcement agency is authorized to enforce
and cite; and
(C) The agreements created and entered into pursuant to this subdivision (13)
must require local law enforcement agencies to provide regular reports to the executive
director, or the director's designee, when the authority under the agreement is exercised.
Such reporting must include, but not be limited to, all details related to the citation,
including the facts of the offense, and the final disposition.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 70, Chapter 4, Part 2, is amended by
adding the following new section:

- 2 - 012442

(a) Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, it is an offense to feed black
bears within the confines of an area for which the commission has proclaimed that
feeding black bears is prohibited.
(b) Knowingly feeding a black bear in violation of subsection (a) is a Class B
misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of no less than two hundred fifty dollars ($250),
before the imposition of any additional court costs or fees.
(c) Unknowingly feeding a black bear in violation of subsection (a), that occurs
as a result of knowingly leaving food or garbage unsecured and otherwise accessible to
black bears, is a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by:
(1) For a first offense, a written warning only; or
(2) For a second or subsequent offense, a fine of no less than two
hundred fifty dollars ($250), before the imposition of any additional court costs or
fees.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to acts or omissions occurring on or after such date.