Tennessee Senate Bill SB1253

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 39, Chapter 17, Part 13 and Title 55, Chapter 50, relative to firearms.

Summary

SB1253 amends Tennessee’s criminal code to create a new firearms offense for certain non-citizens. Under the bill, a person commits a Class A misdemeanor if they knowingly carry or possess a firearm, including a privately assembled firearm without a serial number or other required mark, while not being a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. The bill ties the definition of lawful permanent resident to Tennessee’s driver licensing statute. The measure applies to all firearms covered by the existing statute, and it specifically includes so-called privately assembled or unserialized firearms that do not meet federal marking requirements for licensed importers and manufacturers. The act would take effect July 1, 2025, and would amend Tennessee Code Annotated in both the criminal code and the motor vehicle licensing definitions section.

Impact

The bill would expand Tennessee’s firearms possession offenses by adding immigration status as an element of the crime, creating a new Class A misdemeanor for non-citizens who knowingly carry or possess a firearm. It would also incorporate the state’s definition of lawful permanent resident from Title 55, thereby linking firearms enforcement to immigration-related status determinations. In practical terms, the bill would affect non-citizens, law enforcement, prosecutors, and firearm owners, including those with privately assembled or unserialized firearms.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or formal support/opposition in the materials supplied. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears to reflect a restrictive approach to firearm possession by non-citizens, but the available record does not show how legislators or the public reacted to it.

Contention

The main point of contention inherent in the bill is its treatment of firearm possession as unlawful based on a person’s citizenship or lawful permanent resident status, which could raise concerns about equal treatment, enforcement, and the scope of state authority. Another likely issue is the inclusion of privately assembled, unserialized firearms, which may draw attention from both gun-regulation advocates and opponents of broader firearms restrictions. Because no discussion transcript is available, specific arguments from supporters or opponents cannot be identified from the record provided.