Tennessee House Bill HB2402

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/3/26
• Refer: 2/5/26
• Refer: 3/4/26
• Refer: 3/31/26
• Refer: 4/8/26
• Refer: 4/15/26

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 29; Title 39 and Title 58, relative to workers responding to emergency declarations.

Summary

HB2402 amends Tennessee law governing emergency management to require a local government to lower flags at public buildings to half-mast for at least one day when a first responder from a local emergency management agency is killed in the line of duty. The bill is narrowly focused on honoring fallen emergency personnel and creates a mandatory local protocol tied to a line-of-duty death. The measure would add a new subsection to Tennessee Code Annotated § 58-2-126, which is part of the state’s emergency management framework. It does not create a new benefit program or criminal penalty; instead, it imposes a ceremonial duty on the chief executive officer of the local government that employed the deceased responder. The bill takes effect immediately upon becoming law because the public welfare is declared to require it.

Impact

The bill would directly affect local governments and public buildings in Tennessee by requiring an official half-mast flag observance after a qualifying line-of-duty death. It would amend Title 58, which covers emergency management, and indirectly touch local administrative practices by making the flag-lowering response mandatory rather than discretionary. No other substantive changes to benefits, liability, or enforcement are included in the text.

Sentiment

The available voting history shows unanimous support at each committee stage, with no recorded opposition votes. That pattern suggests the bill was viewed favorably and as a respectful, noncontroversial recognition of first responders who die in the line of duty. There is no committee transcript indicating debate or concern.

Contention

There is little evidence of substantive contention in the available record. Because the bill is a ceremonial honor measure, any potential issues would likely relate only to the scope of the requirement—specifically, that it applies to first responders from local emergency management agencies and requires local executive action at public buildings. However, no recorded objections or amendments in the provided history identify a dispute over those points.