HB2550 • 2026

Game and Fish Laws

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 70, Chapter 2, relative to the creation of a Tennessee national guard sportsman license.

Budget

Active

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

Sponsor: Lamberth, Johnson
Last action: 2026-04-07
Official status: Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how the state general fund will cover the costs, only expressing legislative intent.

Hunting for Heroes Act

This bill creates a free sportsman license for active members of the Tennessee National Guard in good standing.

What This Bill Does

Creates a new type of sportsman license called the 'Tennessee national guard sportsman license'.
Allows eligible members to get this license at no cost, similar to how resident annual licenses are provided.
Requires applicants to provide necessary documentation like military ID and proof of Tennessee National Guard membership.

Who It Names or Affects

Active members of the Tennessee National Guard in good standing.
The agency responsible for issuing sportsman licenses.

Terms To Know

Tennessee national guard sportsman license: A free hunting and fishing license available to active members of the Tennessee National Guard who are in good standing.
member in good standing: An individual who is actively serving and meeting all requirements set by their unit within the Tennessee National Guard.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a member's status changes after getting the license.
It is unclear how many members will apply for this new type of license.
The exact amount of funding needed from the state general fund has not been fully detailed.

Bill History

2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly
Enrolled and ready for signatures
2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Comp. SB subst.
2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed H., Ayes 94, Nays 1, PNV 0
2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly
Subst. for comp. HB.
2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly
H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/7/2026
2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/2/2026
2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 3/31/2026
2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/25/2026
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee
2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on cal. Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee for 3/17/2026
2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Engrossed; ready for transmission to House
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed Senate, Ayes 31, Nays 0
2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 3/11/2026
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Consent Calendar 2 for 3/5/2026
2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 3/3/2026
2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee
2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Sponsor(s) Added.
2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly
Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 2/18/2026
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee
2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-02-03 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 creates a Tennessee national guard sportsman license, which
entitles an active member of a federally recognized unit of the Tennessee national guard in good standing to qualify for a no-cost sportsman license in the same manner as a resident annual sportsman license. The full text of this bill specifies the docum
entation and other application requirements necessary to obtain a Tennessee national guard sportsman license. This bill expresses the intent that the cost of the new licenses will be paid from

the state
's
general fund and not from the wildlife resources fu
nd.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 2238
By Johnson

HOUSE BILL 2550
By Lamberth
HB2550
011251
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 70,
Chapter 2, relative to the creation of a Tennessee
national guard sportsman license.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. This act is known and may be cited as the "Hunting for Heroes Act."
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-2-104, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(i) For purposes of the Tennessee national guard sportsman license created in §
70-2-201:
(1) A member in good standing shall provide all information necessary to
the agency in order to obtain a Tennessee national guard sportsman license.
For purposes of this subsection (i), "member" has the same meaning as defined
in § 49-4-1003.
(2) Applications for a Tennessee national guard sportsman license must
contain information as the executive director, or designee, may require in order to
verify eligibility for issuance. At a minimum, eligibility requires:
(A) A valid United States military identification card; and
(B) Tennessee national guard membership information provided
to the agency by the adjutant general of the military department.
(3) Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, it is the legislative intent
that the costs of the Tennessee national guard sportsman license are borne by
the state from the state general fund and not from the wildlife resources fund.

- 2 - 011251

SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-2-201, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
( ) There is hereby created a Tennessee national guard sportsman license,
which entitles a member in good standing to qualify for a no-cost sportsman license in
the same manner as a resident annual sportsman license.
(1) The holder of a Tennessee national guard sportsman license shall
have the same benefits as a sportsman license as set forth in subsection (e).
(2) For purposes of this subsection, "member" has the same meaning as
defined in § 49-4-1003.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.