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SB0790 • 2026

Law Enforcement Training Academy

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 8; Title 38 and Title 49, relative to special deputies.

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Bailey, Sexton
Last action
2025-04-04
Official status
Comp. became Pub. Ch. 105
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on consequences if a deputy fails to complete annual training or how existing deputies will transition.

Special Deputy Training Requirements

This bill requires private special deputies employed by resort area owners or management companies to meet training and qualification standards set by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission and receive certificates of compliance.

What This Bill Does

  • Defines a private special deputy as someone hired and compensated by a resort area owner or management company for security and law enforcement duties, with qualifications equivalent to those required for police officers.
  • Requires these private special deputies to complete an approved recruit training program set by the commission.
  • Issues certificates of compliance to private special deputies who meet qualifications and complete training starting January 1, 2026.
  • Necessitates annual in-service training sessions for private special deputies to retain their certification.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Private special deputies employed by resort area owners or management companies
  • The Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission

Terms To Know

private special deputy
A person hired to provide security and law enforcement for a resort area, who must meet certain training requirements.
certificate of compliance
A document issued by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission confirming that a private special deputy has met required qualifications and completed necessary training.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a private special deputy fails to complete annual in-service training.
  • It is unclear how existing private special deputies will transition to meet the new requirements.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB1095

Plain English: The amendment adds new requirements for private special deputies to get and keep certification starting from January 1, 2026.

  • Private special deputies must meet police officer qualifications and complete a recruit training program to receive a certificate of compliance.
  • To maintain their certification, private special deputies need to successfully finish an annual in-service training session.
  • The amendment does not specify what the 'police officer qualifications' or the 'recruit training program' entails.
Amendment 1-0 to SB0790

Plain English: The amendment adds new requirements for private special deputies to get and keep certification starting from January 1, 2026.

  • Private special deputies must meet police officer qualifications and complete a recruit training program to receive a certificate of compliance.
  • To keep their certification, private special deputies need to finish an annual in-service training session.
  • The amendment does not specify what the 'police officer qualifications' or the 'recruit training program' are.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 105

  2. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 03/28/2025

  3. 2025-04-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 105

  4. 2025-03-28 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2025-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  6. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  7. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  8. 2025-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  9. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  11. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 31, Nays 0

  12. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0094)

  13. 2025-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  14. 2025-03-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/17/2025

  15. 2025-03-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  16. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0

  17. 2025-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  18. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 95, Nays 0, PNV 0

  19. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0052)

  20. 2025-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  21. 2025-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/10/2025

  22. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/11/2025

  23. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/6/2025

  24. 2025-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Calendar & Rules Committee

  25. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/5/2025

  26. 2025-02-26 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  27. 2025-02-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 2/26/2025

  28. 2025-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Meeting Canceled

  29. 2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  30. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  31. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Public Service Subcommittee for 2/19/2025

  32. 2025-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Public Service Subcommittee

  33. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  34. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  35. 2025-02-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  36. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  37. 2025-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 10, 2025, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 1095, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes the following revisions:



C
larifies that a special deputy as described in the bill must be a private special deputy, which is defined as a person who is employed and compensated by a resort area owner or management company to act as security and law enforcement for the resort area and whose qualifications and training requirements are equivalent to or superior to those required for a law enforcement officer under the standards established by the peace officer standards and training commission for law enforcement officers.



Requires the commission to issue a certificate of compliance to a person appointed as a private special deputy as described in the bill on or after January 1, 2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 1095
By Sexton

SENATE BILL 790
By Bailey

SB0790
002796
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 8; Title 38 and Title 49, relative to special
deputies.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 38-8-107, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
( ) The commission shall also issue a certificate of compliance to a person
appointed as a special deputy; provided, that the person meets the qualifications for
employment as a police officer and satisfactorily completes an approved recruit training
program as required by this part. To retain this certification, the special deputy shall also
successfully complete an annual in-service training session appropriate for the special
deputy's responsibilities.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.