Tennessee legislation · 114th General Assembly

Tennessee HB2560: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 9; Title 13; Title 16; Title 39; Title 55; Title 58; Title 62; Title 65; Title 68 and Title 71, relative to emergency management.

Status: Chaptered, May 27, 2026

Fiscal Summary NOT SIGNIFICANT Bill Summary ON APRIL 14, 2026, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #3 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 2560, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #3 rewrites the bill to, instead, create the department of Tennessee emergency management assistance ("TEMA"), to authorize the creation of local organizations for emergency management in the political subdivisions of the state, and to authorize cooperation with the federal government and the governments of other states. This amendment would also transfer all current rules, orders, decisions, and policies issued or promulgated by the Tennessee emergency management agency effect to the department for administration and enforcement. THE COMMISSIONER This amendment charges TEMA and its general supervision to the commissioner of TEMA. The commissioner, subject to the direction and control of the governor, is the executive head of the department. The commissioner must coordinate the activities of all organizations for the department within this state and must maintain liaison with and cooperate with emergency management agencies and organizations of other states and of the federal government. Further, the commissioner must make recommendations to the governor for the use of the national guard and other state resources as disaster conditions mandate, including the assistance of local and private agencies. The commissioner must coordinate with the governor's office on the activation or the potential activation of any mutual aid agreement or compact. This amendment authorizes the commissioner to employ such area directors and professional, technical, clerical, and other personnel, and the commissioner must fix their compensation and may make expenditures from available funds appropriated for the department or from funds made available to the commissioner for purposes of emergency managem