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Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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SB2028 • 2026

Game and Fish Laws

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1314; Section 70-1-206 and Section 70-4-107, relative to the authority of the Tennessee fish and wildlife commission to proscribe the manner and means of taking wildlife.

Education Firearms
Active

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

Sponsor
Lowe, Cochran
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Effective date(s) 04/07/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not explicitly mention ensuring hunters can use approved methods; it only states that such regulations will be made by the commission.

Clarifying Wildlife Hunting Regulations

This bill clarifies that local governments cannot regulate how wildlife is hunted or firearms are discharged while hunting, leaving these regulations to the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission.

What This Bill Does

  • Removes the ability of cities, counties, towns, municipalities, or metropolitan governments to set rules about how wildlife can be hunted or how firearms can be used during lawful hunting.
  • Allows the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission to create rules and proclamations that dictate the methods for taking wildlife, including firearm discharge while hunting.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Local governments in Tennessee
  • The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission
  • Hunters in Tennessee

Terms To Know

Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission
A state agency responsible for managing wildlife resources and setting hunting regulations.
Proclamations
Official announcements or declarations made by the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission to set rules for hunting seasons.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a local government tries to regulate hunting methods despite this new law.
  • It is unclear how existing local regulations will be handled under this new state mandate.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2017

Plain English: The amendment prevents local governments from regulating how wildlife can be hunted or taken, including rules about using firearms while hunting, leaving that authority to the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission.

  • Local governments cannot make rules about the methods of taking wildlife, such as using firearms during lawful hunting activities.
  • Hunters are allowed to use methods approved by the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission within designated areas and seasons.
  • The amendment does not limit local governments from enforcing general criminal laws that may indirectly affect hunting but do not regulate it directly.
Amendment 2-0 to HB2017

Plain English: The amendment removes local government authority to regulate how wildlife can be hunted or caught, including firearm use during lawful hunting.

  • Removes the ability of cities, counties, towns, municipalities, and metropolitan governments to set rules about how wildlife is hunted or caught within their jurisdictions.
  • Specifies that only the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission has the authority to regulate the manner and means of taking wildlife through its rules and proclamations.
  • The amendment text does not provide details on how existing local regulations will be handled or phased out.
Amendment 3-0 to HB2017

Plain English: The amendment prevents local governments from setting rules about how wildlife can be hunted, except for specific areas near schools.

  • Local governments cannot make rules about the methods used to hunt wildlife or discharge firearms while hunting, unless those rules are within 500 feet of school property.
  • The amendment text does not specify what happens if local governments try to regulate hunting near schools beyond the 500-foot limit.
  • It is unclear how this change will affect existing local regulations that might be in conflict with state rules.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2028

Plain English: This amendment prevents local governments from regulating how wildlife can be hunted or taken, including rules about using firearms while hunting, leaving that authority to the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission.

  • Adds new subsection (j) to Section 39-17-1314 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, which prohibits local governments from regulating how wildlife can be hunted or taken.
  • Amends Section 70-4-107(c) by adding a new subdivision (5), allowing hunters to use methods and means authorized by the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission during designated hunting seasons.
  • The amendment text does not specify how existing local regulations will be handled or phased out, which could create confusion.
  • It is unclear if there are any exceptions or grandfather clauses for pre-existing local laws that might conflict with the new state-level authority.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Effective date(s) 04/07/2026

  2. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Pub. Ch. 673

  3. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. became Pub. Ch. 673

  4. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Governor.

  5. 2026-03-27 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for action.

  6. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  7. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  8. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled and ready for signatures

  9. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Concurred, Ayes 26, Nays 5 (Amendment 3 - HA0712)

  10. 2026-03-20 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 3/26/2026

  11. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., as am., Ayes 69, Nays 17, PNV 3

  12. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. adopted am. (Amendment 3 - HA0712)

  13. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 2 - HA0681)

  14. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0624)

  15. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Subst. for comp. HB.

  16. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  17. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Comp. SB subst.

  18. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  20. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.

  21. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/19/2026

  22. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on cal. for 3/19/2026

  23. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  24. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  25. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  26. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 24, Nays 7

  27. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0527)

  28. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/16/2026

  29. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/12/2026

  30. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/12/2026

  31. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  32. 2026-03-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  33. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate Reset on calendar for 3/12/2026

  34. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee for 3/10/2026

  35. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/5/2026

  36. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee to 3/10/2026

  37. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 7, Nays 2 PNV 0

  38. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee for 3/3/2026

  39. 2026-02-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 2/25/2026

  40. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee to 2/25/2026

  41. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee to 3/3/2026

  42. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee calendar for 2/18/2026

  43. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee for 2/17/2026

  44. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

  45. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee

  46. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee for 2/11/2026

  47. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee

  48. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

  49. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  50. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  51. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  52. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

ON MARCH 12, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2028, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 makes technical corrections to the bill and adds a preamble.

ON MARCH 19, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 2028 FOR HOUSE BILL 2017, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #3, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2028, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #3 s
pecifies that this bill's prohibition against a local government r
egulat
ing
the manner and means of taking wildlife

while lawfully hunting

does not prohibit a county or municipality from regulating the discharge of a firearm by a person lawfully hunting within
500 fee
t of school property.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2017
By Cochran

SENATE BILL 2028
By Lowe
SB2028
011715
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Section
39-17-1314; Section 70-1-206 and Section 70-4-
107, relative to the authority of the Tennessee fish
and wildlife commission to proscribe the manner
and means of taking wildlife.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1314, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
( ) Notwithstanding subdivision (b)(2) or another law to the contrary, a city,
county, town, municipality, or metropolitan government shall not regulate the manner
and means of taking wildlife, including the discharge of a firearm while lawfully hunting.
Such manner and means of taking wildlife is regulated pursuant to rules promulgated
and proclamations issued by the fish and wildlife commission under its delegated
authority in title 70.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 70-4-107(c), is amended by adding
the following as a new subdivision:
( ) Upon proclamation by the commission, any person lawfully hunting under this
act is expressly authorized to utilize the commission's authorized manner or means of
taking wildlife, which may include the discharge of a firearm within the area so
designated by the commission during the hunting season opened by the commission as
long as the manner and means are consistent with other provisions of this title.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.