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~tate of utennessee
PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 344
HOUSE BILL NO. 683
By Representatives Lamberth, Powers, McCalmon, Davis
Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 1384
By Senator Watson
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 39 and Title 62, Chapter 35,
relative to private protective services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-35-102, is amended by adding the
following new subdivision:
( ) "Enhanced armed guard" means an armed security guard/officer who has
successfully completed enhanced armed guard training as described in § 62-35-144(c)
and applied for and received an enhanced armed guard registration enhancement from
the commissioner as described in§ 62-35-144(b);
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-35-103, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(b) Notwithstanding the exemptions in subsection (a), a person shall not carry a
rifle or shotgun while providing security services without holding a current enhanced
armed guard registration pursuant to§ 62-35-144.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 62-35-125, is amended by
designating the existing language as subsection (a) and adding the following as subsection (b):
(b)
(1) An enhanced armed guard may carry a rifle or shotgun only if certified
to carry such firearm. An enhanced armed guard may carry only the type of rifle
or shotgun that the commissioner prescribes by rule when in the performance of
the guard's duties.
(2) An enhanced armed guard may only deploy a rifle or shotgun, whether
in an offensive or defensive posture, when a legitimate threat necessitating such
deployment is perceived to exist or be imminent. During such time as a threat
necessitating deployment of a rifle or shotgun is not perceived to exist or be
imminent, the rifle or shotgun must be securely stored in such manner as the
commissioner may prescribe by rule.
(3) As used in this subsection (b), "rifle" and "shotgun" have the same
meanings as those terms are defined in§ 39-17-1301.
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 62, Chapter 35, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
62-35-144.
(a) To be eligible for a registration enhancement as an enhanced armed guard,
an applicant must:
(1) Hold a current registration card issued by the commissioner to act as
an armed security guard/officer in this state, and be in good standing;
(2)
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(A) Have a minimum of five (5) years of experience as a full-time
law enforcement officer and be in good standing with the employing law
enforcement agency or former law enforcement agency if retired or
separated from employment as a law enforcement officer; or
(B) Have a minimum of four (4) years of experience as a full-time
member of the armed forces of the United States while in a combat arms
military occupational specialty and be in good standing or, if retired or
separated from the armed forces, have received an honorable discharge;
(3) Submit to the following, with results submitted to the commissioner:
(A) A fingerprint-based criminal history record check to be
conducted by the Tennessee bureau of investigation and then a
fingerprint-based national criminal history record check to be completed
by the federal bureau of investigation; and
(8) A psychological evaluation as described in § 38-8-106(9); and
(4) Successfully complete, to the commissioner's satisfaction:
(A) A written examination; and
(8) An in-person enhanced armed guard training course approved
by the commissioner.
(b) The commissioner may request from an applicant such information as the
commissioner deems necessary to constitute proof of an applicant's eligibility pursuant
to subsection (a). Upon receipt of a completed application and finding after investigation
that the applicant armed security guard/officer meets all eligibility requirements for
enhanced armed guard registration enhancement, the commissioner shall issue proof of
a registration enhancement to the applicant upon the appropriate payment of fees as
established by the commissioner.
(c)
(1) An enhanced armed guard training course approved by the
commissioner must be offered no less than quarterly, be at least sixteen (16)
hours in duration and, in addition to legal, weapon handling, marksmanship, and
tactics training, must also include:
(A) Scenario-based training on when a rifle or shotgun may be
deployed in an offensive or defensive posture; and
(8) Training on the secure storage of a rifle or shotgun when the
weapon is not deployed.
(2) The commissioner may contract with a third party to administer the
training required by this section.
(3) The commissioner may apply as full or partial credit toward the
enhanced armed guard training required by this section, a rifle or shotgun
training course that an applicant completed while in the armed forces or
employed as a law enforcement officer, as long as the commissioner finds that
such training is equivalent or superior to that which is required by this section.
(d)
(1) An enhanced armed guard registration enhancement expires one (1)
year from the date of issuance.
(2) To renew an enhanced armed guard registration enhancement, an
enhanced armed guard must:
(A) Pay an annual renewal fee, as set by the commissioner;
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(8) Submit to a criminal background check, with results submitted
to the commissioner; and
(C) Successfully complete an annual requalification course,
approved by the commissioner, that is a minimum of eight (8) hours in
duration, of which no less than six (6) hours consist of rifle and shotgun
training and qualification on a weapon range.
(e) As used in this section, "rifle" and "shotgun" have the same meanings as
those terms are defined in§ 39-17-1301.
SECTION 5. The commissioner is authorized to promulgate rules to effectuate this act.
The rules must be promulgated in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act,
compiled in Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 5.
SECTION 6. For the purpose of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon becoming
a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect January 1,
2026, the public welfare requiring it.
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HOUSE BILL NO. 683
PASSED: April 16, 2025
CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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-\ RANDY MCINl
SPEAKER OF THE SENATE
APPROVED this 1"'J.,, day of YY'.1r.t a/\ 2025
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