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PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 782
SENATE BILL NO. 1110
By Seal, Hatcher, Campbell, Southerland, Massey, Gardenhire, Pody, Stevens, Walley
Substituted for: House Bill No. 357
By Powers, Grills, Sparks, Hurt, Sherrell, Russell, Hale, Hawk, McCalmon, Eldridge, Lynn, Wright,
Davis, Crawford
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 8 and Title 68, relative to rescue
squads.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 68, Chapter 140, is amended by adding the
following language as a new part:
68-140-701. Short title.
This part is known and may be cited as the "Rescue Squad Recognition Act."
68-140-702. Definitions.
As used in this part, unless the context otherwise requires, "rescue squad":
(1) Means:
(A) A department of a municipality, county, or political subdivision, or a
nonprofit organization that offers its services, for or without pay, for the
purpose of performing rescue services, or for other emergency response
purposes, in at least four (4) of the following eleven (11) disciplines:
(i) Animal technical rescue;
(ii) Rope rescue;
(iii) Floodwater rescue;
(iv) Vehicle and machinery rescue;
(v) Confined space rescue;
(vi) Structural collapse rescue;
(vii) Swiftwater rescue;
(viii) Trench rescue;
(ix) Subterranean rescue;
(x) Dive rescue; or
(xi) Wilderness search and rescue;
(2) Means, for purposes of a nonprofit organization:
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(A) A nonprofit organization in which eighty-five percent (85%) of the
nonprofit organization's dedicated team is meeting the national fire protection
association 1006 standards for qualifications for each discipline described in
subdivision (1 )(A);
(8) A nonprofit organization in which at least seventy-five percent
(75%) of personnel in the dedicated team volunteer or undertake time,
resources, and labor to provide emergency response to a county, municipality,
or political subdivision; and
(C) An organization that qualifies as a nonprofit organization under the
Internal Revenue Code, § 501 (c)(3) (26 U.S.C. § 501 (c)(3)), and chartered in
this state; and
(3) Does not include law enforcement agencies or emergency medical
agencies licensed by the Tennessee emergency medical services board or a fire
department as defined in § 68-102-302.
68-140-703. State fire marshal's standards and qualifications - Funds.
(a) A municipality, county, or political subdivision shall not operate a rescue squad,
and a nonprofit organization shall not operate as a rescue squad, unless the rescue squad
has been duly recognized and authorized to perform rescue services pursuant to this part by
the state fire marshal's office. The state fire marshal, in consultation with the Tennessee
Association of Rescue Squads and other interested industry groups, shall promulgate rules
pursuant to the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, relative
to the standards and qualifications for becoming and remaining a rescue squad.
(b) The state fire marshal's office shall not oversee or have control over funding for a
rescue squad whose certificate of charter with the secretary of state is active before July 1,
2026.
68-140-704. Application for operation of rescue squad - Classification - Certificate of
recognition - Recognition renewal.
(a) To obtain recognition from the state fire marshal's office, a municipality, county, or
political subdivision wanting to operate a rescue squad, or a nonprofit organization wanting to
operate as a rescue squad, shall file an application with the state fire marshal's office, and
file a renewal application to continue operating, in accordance with the following:
(1) The application must be made on a form prescribed by the state fire
marshal and must be accompanied by a processing fee not to exceed fifty dollars
($50.00). The state fire marshal may require that the form be signed and notarized by
the highest-ranking official of the rescue squad;
(2) Upon being granted recognized status as a rescue squad, the state fire
marshal shall issue a certificate of recognition to the rescue squad. The certificate is
valid for a period of three (3) years from the date of issuance; and
(3) Approximately six (6) months prior to the expiration of the three-year
certificate, the state fire marshal's office shall notify each rescue squad by certified
mail of the expiration of the certificate. A rescue squad whose certificate is expiring
shall complete a recognition renewal form prescribed by the state fire marshal and
submit a renewal fee not to exceed fifty dollars ($50.00) at least thirty (30) days prior
to expiration of the rescue squad's certification of recognition.
(b) The form prescribed by the state fire marshal's office must include a process for a
rescue squad whose certificate of charter with the secretary of state is active before July 1,
2026, to apply for an exemption, as d_escribed in§ 68-140-709.
68-140-705. Approval of local elected governing body - Certificate of recognition
requirement.
(a) A new rescue squad must not be established or recognized without the approval
of the local elected governing body in which jurisdiction the rescue squad will operate. This
approval must include the geographical territory to· be covered by the new rescue squad.
(b) A governmental unit,. person, or nonprofit organization shall not operate as a
re~cue squad without a valid certificate of recognition issued by the state fire marshal in
accordance with this part.
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68-140-706. Option of non-recognition.
N.otwithstanding §§ 68-140-703 and 68-140-705, if any department within a
municipality, county, or political subdivision, as well as any nonprofit organization, decides
not to function as a rescue squad as defined in § 68-140-702, then such department or
nonprofit organization shall notify the state fire marshal's office and the local elected
governing body that the rescue squad is choosing to opt out of this part and take on all
responsibilities assigned by the local elected governing body.
68-140-707. Nonrenewal, revocation, or suspension of certificate of recognition.
(a) The state fire marshal may refuse to issue or renew and revoke or suspend any
application for or renewal of a certificate of recognition if the:
(1) Rescue squad has violated:
(A) This part;
(B) Any rule duly promulgated by the state fire marshal; or
(C) Any other state or federal law;
(2) Rescue squad fails to renew its certification;
(3) Rescue squad fails to submit the required fee; or
(4) Local elected governing body withdraws recognition of the. rescue squad.
(b) The state fire marshal shall notify the local elected governing body within thirty
(30) days of refusing to renew, revoking, or suspending any certificate of recognition of a
rescue squad.
(c) The local elected governing body shall notify the state fire marshal within thirty
(30) days of withdrawing approval of the rescue squad.
(d) The Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5, governs
all matters and procedures respecting the hearing and judicial review of any contested case
arising under this part.
68-140-708. Reporting requiremea:1ts for emergency responses.
(a) Within thirty (30) days of an emergency in which a rescue squad responds, the
rescue squad shall complete all necessary reports, documentation, and filing of the
emergency to at least one (1) of the following:
(1) The Tennessee Association of Rescue Squads general reporting system;
(2) The national fire incident reporting system;
(3) The national emergency response information system; or
(4) The standard reporting system for the state fire marshal's office.
68-140-709. Existing chartered rescue squads.
(a)(1) A rescue squad whose certificate of charter with the secretary of state is active
before July 1, 2026, may submit an application as described in § 68-140-704 to
operate under an exemption if the rescue squad does not currently meet the definition
of a rescue squad as defined in§ 68-140-702.
(2) A rescue squad, as described in subdivision (a)(1 ), is not required to meet
the new standard training requirements promulgated by the state fire marshal, as
described in§ 68-140-703.
(b) If a rescue squad described in subdivision (a)(1) properly files the application
described in § 68-140-704 and the application is approved by the state fire marshal's office,
then such rescue squad is deemed to be a recognized rescue squad under this part.
(c) A :copy of the charter and proof of an active status must be filed with the
application in each instance the rescue squad applies for an exemption.
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68-140-710. Penalty for violations.
A violation of this part is a Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine only of fifty
dollars ($50. 00).
SECTION 2. The headings in this act are for reference purposes only and do not constitute a
part of the law enacted by this act. However, the Tennessee Code Commission is requested to
include the headings in any compilation or publication containing this act.
SECTION 3. For purposes of promulgating rules and carrying out administrative duties
necessary to effectuate this act, this act takes effect upon becoming law, the public welfare requiring
it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.
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SENATE BILL NO. 1110
PASSED: April 6, 2026
RANDY I\IINALLY
SPEAKER OF THE iENATE
CAMEam....r.lllP!"'IEXTON,SPEAKER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
a~ /\pr; \ APPROVED this
day of 2026
~(-fA-
BILL LEE, GOVERNOREvery fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.