TennesseeTennessee law permits deadly force to protect property in narrow cases
People lawfully living in a place may use deadly force to protect property during certain serious crimes, but only when someone also faces a grave danger.
What it does
A person lawfully living in a place may use deadly force to protect property against certain imminent serious crimes only if no other means can stop them and someone faces a grave risk of harm.
Argument forA resident facing an imminent serious crime may be able to stop it when other ways to protect the property are unavailable and someone faces grave danger.
Argument againstA property crime could end in a death because the law permits deadly force when someone faces specified serious danger and other ways to stop the crime fail.
More detail
A person may use deadly force to protect property only when every listed requirement is met. The person must be in a place where they lawfully reside. The person must not be engaging in conduct that would be a felony or Class A misdemeanor, and must be somewhere they lawfully reside. The person must reasonably believe deadly force is immediately necessary to stop imminent arson, burglary, robbery, aggravated robbery, or aggravated cruelty to animals, and that no other means can protect the property or stop the conduct. There must also be imminent danger of death, serious bodily injury, or grave sexual abuse to the person or someone else, or using less force would expose either of them to that risk.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 27Pub. Ch. 1100Latest
- May 27Effective date(s) 07/01/2026
- May 22Signed by Governor Bill Lee.Became Law
- May 11Transmitted to Governor for action.To Governor
- May 7Signed by H. SpeakerMajor
- Apr 30Enrolled and ready for signaturesMinor
- Apr 30Signed by Senate SpeakerMajor
- Apr 23Subst. for comp. HB.Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 1 4/23/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/23/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 23H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA1054)Major
- Apr 23Passed H., as am., Ayes 62, Nays 24, PNV 3Major
- Apr 23Placed on Senate Message Calendar 3 for 4/23/2026
- Apr 23Senate Reset on next message calendar
- Apr 23Concurred, Ayes 23, Nays 5 (Amendment 1 - HA1054)Passed House
- Apr 22Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 21Passed Senate, Ayes 21, Nays 5, PNV 1Passed Senate
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/21/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 21Engrossed; ready for transmission to HouseMinor
- Apr 20Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/21/2026
- Apr 17Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 16Senate Reset on calendar for 4/21/2026
- Apr 15Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/16/2026
- Apr 14Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/16/2026
- Apr 9Senate Reset on calendar for 4/16/2026
- Apr 9Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 7Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/9/2026
- Mar 24Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
- Vote recorded SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee 3/24/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 23Action deferred in Senate Judiciary Committee to 3/24/2026
- Mar 23Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/24/2026
- Mar 18Placed on Senate Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/23/2026
- Feb 2Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Jan 22Introduced, Passed on First ConsiderationMinor
- Jan 21Filed for introductionIntroduced
Criminal JusticePublic Safety