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SB2352 • 2026

Firearms and Ammunition

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 7; Title 8, Chapter 8 and Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13, relative to firearms.

Firearms
Active

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

Sponsor
Hensley, Doggett
Last action
2026-04-13
Official status
Sponsor(s) Added.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on enforcement or penalties for non-compliance by sheriffs, nor does it specify what happens if there are no available storage lockers.

Firearm Storage for Courthouse Visitors

This bill allows county sheriffs to provide free secure storage lockers for individuals who are legally carrying firearms and need to enter courthouses where guns are restricted or prohibited.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law to allow county sheriffs to set up safe places to store firearms near courthouse entrances.
  • Requires these storage units to be separate, secure, and lockable for individuals who are legally carrying firearms.
  • Makes sure that individuals do not have to pay to use these storage lockers.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who are allowed by law to carry firearms in public
  • County sheriffs responsible for courthouse security

Terms To Know

Firearm
A gun, such as a pistol or rifle.
Sheriff
The top law enforcement officer in a county who is responsible for maintaining public safety and order.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what happens if there are no available storage lockers.
  • Does not address how to handle firearms that cannot fit into the provided lockers.
  • The bill does not change the rules about carrying guns in courthouses, only provides for secure storage.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  2. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  3. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  4. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 27, Nays 2, PNV 1

  5. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  6. 2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026

  7. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  8. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  9. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  10. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 82, Nays 1, PNV 10

  11. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/30/2026

  12. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026

  13. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  14. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  15. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026

  16. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  17. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026

  18. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026

  19. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026

  20. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026

  21. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/18/2026

  22. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/11/2026

  23. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee

  24. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026

  25. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  26. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee

  27. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  28. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  29. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  30. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  31. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Generally, present law prohibits a
person
from
intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carry
ing
on or about the person while inside any building in which judicial proceedings are in progress
certain weapons
for the purpose of going armed
. However,
if the weapon carried is a firearm, the person is in violation of this
provision
regardless of whether the weapon is carried for the purpose of going armed.

If the possession of a firearm in a county courthouse is restricted or prohibited
, this bill authorizes
the sheriff of the county
to
provide secure storage lockers for those individuals who are
lawfully
carrying a firearm
to
store the firearm in separate
,
secured, lockable storage units at or near a designated public entrance to the building or structure at no cost to the individual.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2376
By Doggett

SENATE BILL 2352
By Hensley
SB2352
012297
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5;
Title 7; Title 8, Chapter 8 and Title 39, Chapter 17,
Part 13, relative to firearms.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1359, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(h) If the possession of a firearm in a county courthouse is restricted or
prohibited pursuant to subsection (g) or § 39-17-1306, then the sheriff of the county may
provide secure storage lockers for those individuals who are carrying a firearm pursuant
to § 39-17-1351, § 39-17-1366, or § 39-17-1307 to store the firearm in separate secured,
lockable storage units at or near a designated public entrance to the building or structure
at no cost to the individual.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.