Bill > SB2177

This bill mandates that the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations (TACIR), a state agency that studies issues between different levels of government, conduct a comprehensive study on the salaries and benefits provided to both state and local law enforcement officers across Tennessee. The study will analyze how current compensation affects the ability of law enforcement agencies, particularly smaller city and county departments, to recruit, staff, and retain officers, and will also examine how state salary adjustments for state law enforcement officers impact local recruitment and retention. TACIR is required to deliver a report of its findings and recommendations to the governor and legislative leaders by January 31, 2027, and may request information from other government entities to complete the study using existing resources. The bill also defines "local law enforcement officer" as a full-time, salaried employee of a political subdivision (like a sheriff, deputy, or police officer) whose main job is law enforcement or who is a correctional officer, and "state law enforcement officer" as a full-time, salaried state employee in specific roles such as the highway patrol, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, or wildlife and alcoholic beverage commission enforcement. Additionally, the bill allows the commissioner of safety to create a "hazardous duty designation" for highway patrol members, which could lead to additional compensation for those designated.