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SB0301 • 2026

Pensions and Retirement Benefits

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8, Chapter 36, relative to firefighter retirement age.

Labor
Active

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

Sponsor
Harshbarger, Crawford
Last action
2025-02-12
Official status
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not specify the exact number of firefighters affected or the financial implications, leaving these details unknown.

Firefighter Retirement Age Change

This bill allows firefighters with a rank equal to or higher than shift commander in Tennessee to continue working past age 62.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the retirement age for certain firefighter ranks in Tennessee.
  • Allows firefighters who are shift commanders or have higher ranks to continue working after turning 62 years old.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Firefighters with ranks equal to or higher than shift commander
  • Local government agencies that employ these firefighters

Terms To Know

Shift Commander
A firefighter rank responsible for leading a team of firefighters during their assigned shifts.
Mandatory Retirement Age
The age at which an employee must stop working due to company or state rules, unless there are special exceptions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how many firefighters will be affected by this change.
  • Does not provide details on the financial impact of extending firefighter service beyond age 62.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  2. 2025-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2025

  3. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/9/2025

  6. 2025-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/9/2025

  7. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 4/2/2025

  8. 2025-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 4/2/2025

  9. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/26/2025

  10. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/26/2025

  11. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/19/2025

  12. 2025-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 3/12/2025

  14. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  15. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  16. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  17. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  18. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  19. 2025-01-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  20. 2025-01-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 333
By Crawford

SENATE BILL 301
By Harshbarger

SB0301
002016
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8,
Chapter 36, relative to firefighter retirement age.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-36-205(a)(3)(C), is amended by
deleting the language "or as the chief of a police department or a fire department" and
substituting "the chief of a police department or fire department, or as a firefighter with a rank
equal to or higher than shift commander".
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.