TennesseeSheriffs may offer free firearm lockers at county courthouses
County sheriffs may provide free firearm storage for eligible visitors where Tennessee law restricts or prohibits firearms inside a county courthouse.
What it does
Where county courthouses restrict or prohibit firearms under the cited laws, sheriffs may offer eligible visitors free, secure firearm lockers at or near a designated public entrance.
Argument forFree lockers could give eligible courthouse visitors a secure place to leave firearms they cannot carry inside.
Argument againstCounties that offer free lockers could bear the cost of buying and maintaining secure firearm storage.
More detail
County sheriffs may provide separate, secure, lockable units for firearm storage. The lockers serve people carrying firearms as allowed by the three Tennessee firearm-carrying laws cited in the act. The courthouse must restrict or prohibit firearm possession under the laws cited in the act. Providing lockers is optional. If offered, they must be at or near a designated public entrance and free for eligible users. The storage provision took effect when the act became law on May 1, 2026.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 18Pub. Ch. 919Latest
- May 18Effective date(s) 05/01/2026
- May 1Signed by Governor Bill Lee.Became Law
- Apr 21Transmitted to Governor for his action.To Governor
- Apr 20Signed by Senate SpeakerMajor
- Apr 16Signed by H. SpeakerMajor
- Apr 14Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.Minor
- Apr 13Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.Major
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: Third Consideration 4/13/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 13Passed Senate, Ayes 27, Nays 2, PNV 1Passed Senate
- Apr 2Received from House, Passed on First ConsiderationMinor
- Mar 31Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.Minor
- Mar 30Sponsor(s) Added.Minor
- Vote recorded FLOOR VOTE: CONSENT CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION 3/30/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 30Passed H., Ayes 82, Nays 1, PNV 10Passed House
- Mar 26H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 3/30/2026
- Vote recorded HOUSE CALENDAR & RULES COMMITTEE: H. Placed on Consent Calendar 3/26/2026. Result: fail.Lower
- Mar 25Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/26/2026
- Mar 23Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee 3/23/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 18Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/25/2026
- Mar 18Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/23/2026
- Mar 11Action def. in Judiciary Committee to 3/18/2026
- Mar 11Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/18/2026
- Mar 4Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Vote recorded HOUSE CIVIL JUSTICE SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Judiciary Committee 3/4/2026 Passed. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 4Placed on cal. Judiciary Committee for 3/11/2026
- Feb 25Placed on s/c cal Civil Justice Subcommittee for 3/4/2026
- Feb 5P2C, ref. to Judiciary CommitteeMinor
- Feb 5Assigned to s/c Civil Justice SubcommitteeMinor
- Feb 4Intro., P1C.Minor
- Feb 2Filed for introductionIntroduced
Gun Policy