Tennessee legislation · 114th General Assembly
Tennessee HB1989: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2; Title 6; Title 8; Title 36; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 55; Title 58; Title 62; Title 63 and Title 66, relative to armed forces.
Status: Chaptered, May 18, 2026
Fiscal Summary NOT SIGNIFICANT Bill Summary Present law recognizes the army, navy, air force, marine corps, and coast guard as distinct branches of the United States armed forces and groups them collectively under the broader term "armed forces" or "armed forces personnel" throughout various provisions of Tennessee Code Annotated that address the following: Absentee voting during elections Attendance at municipal legislative meetings Eligibility to hold public office State employment and absence therefrom Absence while holding public office Parental custody and visitation Criminal impersonation Prohibited weapons Carrying weapons during judicial proceedings Carrying weapons on school property Carrying weapons on public parks, playgrounds, civic centers, and other public recreational buildings and grounds Trial by court-martial as bar for criminal prosecution for the same offense Educational opportunities for military children Exemption of nonresident owners from registering motor vehicles Tennessee Military Code of 1970 Resignation of national guard officers Barber licensure Receiving equivalent credits towards occupational licensure Licensure for the practice of healing arts Podiatry license Dentistry license Medical license Writings eligible for registration This bill recognizes the United States space force as a distinct branch of the United States armed forces by including the space force and members of the space force in the same provisions described above.
What the bill says
An act to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2; Title 6; Title 8; Title 36; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 55; Title 58; Title 62; Title 63 and Title 66, relative to armed forces.
From the introduced text:
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2; Title 6; Title 8; Title 36; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 55; Title 58; Title 62; Title 63 and Title 66, relative to armed forces. SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-1-104(a)(1), is amended by deleting the subdivision and substituting instead: (1) "Armed forces personnel" means members of the army, navy, air force, space force, marine corps, coast guard, environmental science services administration, and public health service of the United States or members of the merchant marine of the United States and their spouses and dependents; SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 6-54-143(b)(1), is amended by deleting the subdivision and substituting instead: (1) The active and reserve components of the army, navy, air force, space force, marine corps, or coast guard of the United States; SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-18-101(4), is amended by deleting the subdivision and substituting instead: (4) Soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, or guardians in the regular army, navy, air force, or space force of the United States; and SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 8-30-307(a), is amended by deleting the subsection and substituting instead: (a) When invitations to interview candidates are extended, whether for appointment or promotion, and the pool of candidates includes any person who has been honorably discharged from the army, navy, …
Sponsors
- Lankford, Michael (R, 75) · primary sponsor
- McCalmon, Jake (R, 63)
- Maberry, Aron (R, 68)
- Crawford, John (R, 1)
- Russell, Lowell (R, 21)
- Fritts, Monty (R, 32)
- Reedy, Jay D. (R, 74)
- Cepicky, Scott (R, 64)
- Capley, Kip (R, 71)
- Todd, Chris (R, 73)
- Terry, Bryan (R, 48)
- Lafferty, Justin (R, 89)
Latest actions
- : Comp. became Pub. Ch. 892
- : Comp. SB subst.
- : Sponsor(s) Added.
- : H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/14/2026
- : Sponsor(s) Added.
- : Objected to on Consent Calendar.
- : H. Placed on Consent Calendar for 4/13/2026
- : Sponsor(s) Added.
- : Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/9/2026
- : Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee
Votes
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PREVIOUS QUESTION PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION (April 16, 2026): 70 yea, 18 nay, passed
- FLOOR VOTE: REGULAR CALENDAR PASSAGE ON THIRD CONSIDERATION (April 16, 2026): 77 yea, 11 nay, passed
- HOUSE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE: Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee (April 8, 2026): 19 yea, 0 nay, passed
- FLOOR VOTE: Motion to Adopt (March 23, 2026): 29 yea, 0 nay, passed
- SENATE STATE & LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE: Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee (March 17, 2026): 9 yea, 0 nay, passed
- HOUSE DEPARTMENTS & AGENCIES SUBCOMMITTEE: Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee (March 10, 2026): 7 yea, 0 nay, passed
Subjects: Archives, Publications, My Bills
Common questions
- What is HB1989?
- HB1989 is a bill in the Tennessee Legislature (114th General Assembly): AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2; Title 6; Title 8; Title 36; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 55; Title 58; Title 62; Title 63 and Title 66, relative to armed forces.
- What does HB1989 do?
- In its own words: An act to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2; Title 6; Title 8; Title 36; Title 39; Title 40; Title 49; Title 55; Title 58; Title 62; Title 63 and Title 66, relative to armed forces.
- What is the status of HB1989?
- Chaptered as of May 18, 2026. Latest action: Comp. became Pub. Ch. 892 (May 18, 2026).
- Who sponsored HB1989?
- Lankford, Michael (R, 75), with 11 co-sponsors.
- Where is the official record for HB1989?
- On the Tennessee Legislature website: https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default?BillNumber=HB1989&GA=114
Source: official Tennessee record. Tracked by Delilah, AI for legislation across all 50 states and Congress.