TennesseeTennessee officeholders can use campaign funds for home security
Tennessee law lets officeholders use campaign funds for listed home security costs, subject to a yearly cap and rules for reporting and keeping records.
What it does
Officeholders may use campaign funds for listed home security costs, up to $12,000 per calendar year. They must report the spending as “residential security.”
Officeholders must keep records of the spending. During an audit or investigation, the registry must keep related information confidential and closed to public inspection.
Argument forOfficeholders could use campaign funds for listed home security costs without those expenses counting as personal use.
Argument againstThe yearly cap and limited list of allowed expenses could leave officeholders unable to use campaign funds for other home security needs.
More detail
Campaign funds may pay for listed security costs at an officeholder’s personal home, and those costs do not count as personal use. These rules cover campaign funds used to improve security at an officeholder’s personal residence. Allowed costs include security advice, equipment, monitoring, safe rooms, and guards at the home for non-campaign purposes. Spending may not exceed $12,000 per calendar year and must be reported as “residential security.” The law does not bar campaign funds from paying for security away from a home when it relates to a candidate’s election or supports the officeholder’s work. The law took effect on May 22, 2026.
Officeholders must keep records of these expenses, and the registry must keep related information confidential during an audit or investigation. These requirements apply to the home security expenses described above. Officeholders must keep the records under the cited campaign finance recordkeeping rule. The confidentiality rule applies to information the registry receives about these expenses during an audit or investigation; that information is not open to public inspection. The law took effect on May 22, 2026.
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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. 1129Latest
- May 27Effective date(s) 05/22/2026
- 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 22Conf. comm. report adopted, Ayes 90, Nays 0, PNV 0
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: MESSAGE CALENDAR MOTION TO ADOPT CONFERENCE COMMITTEE REPORT 4/22/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21Conference Committee report adopted, Ayes 30, Nays 1
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt Conference Committee Report 4/21/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 21H. Placed on Message Calendar for 4/22/2026
- Apr 20Senate Reset on calendar for 4/21/2026
- Apr 17Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/20/2026
- Apr 15Conf. comm. appointed. (Reps. Parkinson, T. Hicks, Wright, Marsh)
- Apr 14H. Placed on Message Calendar for 4/15/2026
- Apr 13Senate refused to recede from its non-concurrence.
- Apr 13Conference Committee appointed. (Haile, Briggs, Hatcher, Watson)
- Apr 10Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/13/2026
- Apr 2H. refused to recede from H. am. no. 1
- Mar 30H. Placed on Message Calendar for 4/2/2026
- Mar 26Senate refused to concur in amendmentMinor
- Mar 24Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 3/26/2026
- Mar 19Senate Reset on calendar for 3/26/2026
- Mar 17Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 3/19/2026
- Mar 16Subst. for comp. HB.Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/16/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 16H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0613)Major
- Mar 16Passed H., as am., Ayes 87, Nays 4, PNV 3Passed House
- Mar 12Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- Mar 9Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0615)
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 3/9/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 9Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 31, Nays 1Passed Senate
- Mar 9Engrossed; ready for transmission to HouseMinor
- Mar 6Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/9/2026
- Mar 2Senate Reset on calendar for 3/9/2026
- Feb 27Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 3/2/2026
- Feb 24Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee
- Vote recorded SENATE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee 2/24/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 17Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 2/24/2026
- Feb 5Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government CommitteeMinor
- Feb 2Filed for introductionMinor
- Feb 2Introduced, Passed on First ConsiderationIntroduced
Government & Ethics