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SB2469 • 2026

Firearms and Ammunition

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13, relative to judges.

Crime Firearms
Active

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

Sponsor
Bailey, Travis
Last action
2026-04-15
Official status
Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation includes details about the effective date change and uncertainty regarding how many judges will exercise this right, which align with the provided source material.

Judges' Right to Carry Weapons

This bill changes Tennessee's laws to allow certain judges to carry weapons in places where police officers are allowed to carry guns.

What This Bill Does

  • Clarifies that chancery, circuit, or appellate court judges and governor-appointed judges can carry firearms anywhere a police officer is permitted to carry a gun if they have permission to carry a handgun.
  • Removes the requirement for these judges to keep their handguns concealed when performing official duties.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Chancery, circuit, or appellate court judges
  • Governor-appointed judges

Terms To Know

Class E felony
A serious crime that is less severe than a Class D felony but more severe than a misdemeanor.
Handgun carry permit
A legal document allowing someone to carry a handgun in public places.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill's effective date has been changed from immediately upon becoming law to July 1, 2026.
  • It is not clear how many judges will actually choose to exercise this new right to carry weapons.

Amendments

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

Amendment 1-0 to HB2174

Plain English: The amendment changes part of Tennessee law about who can carry a handgun by adding specific requirements for judges.

  • Adds new rules that allow judges to carry handguns if they have judicial powers and are authorized under another section of the law.
  • The exact details on how judges get authorization to carry handguns are not provided in this amendment text.
Amendment 1-0 to SB2469

Plain English: The amendment changes part of Tennessee law about who can carry a handgun by adding specific requirements for judges.

  • Adds new rules that allow judges to carry handguns if they have judicial powers and are authorized under another section of the law.
  • The exact details on how judges get authorization to carry handguns are not provided in this amendment text.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-15 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  2. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to House

  3. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  4. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 29, Nays 2

  5. 2026-04-13 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0905)

  6. 2026-04-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026

  7. 2026-03-26 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final cal. 2 of Calendar & Rules Committee

  8. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  9. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  11. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026

  12. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  13. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  15. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  18. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  20. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  21. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  22. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on Final calendar of Senate Judiciary Committee

  23. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action Def. in s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee to 3/4/2026

  26. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 2/18/2026

  27. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary Committee

  28. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Civil Justice Subcommittee

  29. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to Judiciary Committee

  30. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  31. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  32. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  33. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Present law generally provides that a person commits a Class E felony if the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carries on or about the person while inside any building in which judicial proceedings are in progress any weapon prohibited by pr
esent law, for the purpose of going armed. Further, if the weapon carried is a firearm, the person is in violation of such prohibition regardless of whether the weapon is carried for the purpose of going armed.

Present law provides certain exceptions to the above prohibition. One such exception is for any person who is in the actual discharge of official duties as a judge, and meets all of the following criteria:



Is authorized to carry a handgun.


Keeps the handgun concealed at all times when in the discharge of such duties.


Is vested with judicial powers.

This bill revises the above exception by clarifying that the exception applies to a chancery, circuit, or appellate court judge, or a governor-appointed judge, and removes the requirement that such person keep the handgun concealed at all times when in t
he discharge of their duties.

This bill also authorizes a sitting or retired chancery, circuit, or appellate court judge, or a sitting or retired governor-appointed judge, to carry a weapon, including a firearm, in any location and manner where a law enforcement officer is permitted
to carry a firearm pursuant to present law, if the judge is authorized to carry a handgun.

ON APRIL 13, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 2469, AS AMENDED.

AMENDMENT #1 removes the provision summarized in the last paragraph of the bill summary and changes the effective date of the bill from upon becoming a law to July 1, 2026.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 2174
By Travis

SENATE BILL 2469
By Bailey
SB2469
012396
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39,
Chapter 17, Part 13, relative to judges.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 39-17-1306, is amended by deleting
subdivision (c)(3) and substituting:
(3) Is a chancery, circuit, or appellate court judge, or a governor-appointed
judge, and:
(A) Is authorized to carry a handgun pursuant to § 39-17-1351; and
(B) Is vested with judicial powers under § 16-1-101;
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
A sitting or retired chancery, circuit, or appellate court judge, or a sitting or retired
governor-appointed judge, is authorized to carry a weapon, including a firearm, in any
location and manner where a law enforcement officer is permitted to carry a firearm
pursuant to § 39-17-1350, if the judge is authorized to carry a handgun pursuant to § 39-
17-1351.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.