TennesseeUtility crews may enter restricted areas during natural emergencies
During a declared natural emergency, utility crews may enter restricted areas to restore service, and workers receive limited protection from some civil claims.
What it does
During a declared natural emergency, utility workers may enter restricted areas to restore service. They must show work credentials, and law enforcement may deny entry for a valid law enforcement purpose.
Workers and their employers receive limited protection from civil claims for harm caused by a worker acting in good faith during emergency restoration. The protection has exceptions for serious or unrelated wrongdoing, and employers remain liable for negligence.
The law’s first-responder definition includes utility workers who meet the bill’s emergency utility worker definition.
Argument forUtility crews could reach damaged systems in closed areas, which may help restore essential services during a natural emergency.
Argument againstA worker may avoid some claims for ordinary negligence while restoring service, which could leave injured people with fewer ways to seek damages from the worker.
More detail
Emergency utility workers may travel on public roads and enter areas under curfew or access restrictions when needed for restoration work. This covers employees and authorized contractors for public, private, or cooperative systems that provide communications, electricity, gas, sewerage, or other services to the public. Workers must show employer or contractor credentials to law enforcement. Law enforcement may prohibit access for a valid law enforcement purpose. This applies during a state of emergency declared on the basis of a natural emergency.
An emergency utility worker and the worker’s employer receive protection from some civil claims for harm caused by the worker during restoration work. This covers emergency utility workers employed by or authorized as contractors for public, private, or cooperative systems that provide services to the public. The worker must act in good faith while restoring utilities during a declared natural emergency. The worker is not protected for willful misconduct, gross negligence, or conduct unrelated to restoration work. The employer is not protected for negligent acts or omissions by the employer or worker. This section creates no duty to act or private right to sue. It does not affect motor vehicle liability except as otherwise provided by law. The protection applies during restoration work in a declared state of emergency based on a natural emergency.
The law’s definition of a first responder includes an emergency utility worker. This definition appears in the cited provision of Tennessee law on emergency responders. The definition also includes firefighters and people who respond to emergency calls from 911. It excludes law enforcement officers.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 27Pub. Ch. 988Latest
- May 27Effective date(s) 05/19/2026
- May 19Signed 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 22Concurred, Ayes 32, Nays 0 (Amendment 2 - HA1105)Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Concur House Amendment # 2 4/22/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 21Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/22/2026
- Apr 20Subst. for comp. HB.Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR AS AMENDED PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 4/20/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 20Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - HA0926)Minor
- Apr 20H. adopted am. (Amendment 2 - HA1105)Major
- Apr 20Passed H., as am., Ayes 89, Nays 2, PNV 4Passed House
- Apr 20Placed on Senate Message Calendar for 4/22/2026
- Apr 15Rcvd. from S., held on H. desk.
- Apr 13Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 1 - SA0896)
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: as Amended Third Consideration 4/13/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 13Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 3 - SA0991)
- Apr 13Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 4 - SA1001)
- Apr 13Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 2 - SA0985)
- Apr 13Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 33, Nays 0Passed Senate
- Apr 13Engrossed; ready for transmission to HouseMinor
- Apr 13Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 10Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/13/2026
- Apr 9Senate Reset on calendar for 4/13/2026
- Apr 9Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 7Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/9/2026
- Apr 6Senate Reset on calendar for 4/9/2026
- Apr 6Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 2Senate Reset on calendar for 4/6/2026
- Apr 2Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Apr 2Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026
- Mar 31Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/2/2026
- Mar 25Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026
- Vote recorded SENATE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0 3/25/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 25Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 0 PNV 0
- Mar 24Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/25/2026
- Mar 24Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026
- Mar 18Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/24/2026
- Mar 17Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026
- Mar 11Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/17/2026
- Mar 5Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government CommitteeMinor
- Mar 2Approved by Delayed Bills Committee
- Mar 2Introduced, Passed on First ConsiderationMinor
- Feb 2Filed for introductionMinor
- Feb 2Refer to Senate Delayed Bills CommitteeIntroduced
Emergency ManagementPublic Safety