Standing with Those Who Protect Us: Supporting Law Enforcement and First Responders

In rural communities like ours, law enforcement officers are not strangers. They are neighbors, friends, and members of our churches and civic organizations. When they put on a badge and go to work, they are protecting people they know personally, and that makes their sacrifice even more meaningful.

This session, the 114th General Assembly took concrete steps to support the men and women who keep our communities safe.

We expanded Tennessee's Back the Blue Act to include all first responders. This legislation increases the penalty for assaulting a first responder from a misdemeanor to a Class E felony, with a mandatory $10,000 fine and a minimum of 60 days in jail. The men and women who run toward danger deserve to know that the law stands firmly behind them.

We passed legislation requiring the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations to study the impact of salaries and other benefits on the recruitment and retention of local law enforcement officers. In rural communities, sheriff's departments and police departments often struggle to compete with larger agencies on pay and benefits. This study will give us the data we need to address that challenge directly.

We created a designated security zone around the State Capitol and adjacent government buildings, bolstering safety for state officials, employees, and the public. The buildings where democracy happens deserve to be protected.

For our volunteer firefighters, we created the Volunteer Firefighter Vehicle Grant Program, establishing a $1 million grant fund to help local communities purchase fire vehicles. Many rural fire departments across District 38 rely on aging equipment and the generosity of volunteers who give their time and sometimes their lives to protect their neighbors. This program helps ensure they have the tools to do the job safely.

Utility workers who respond during natural disasters to restore essential services are now designated as first responders under Tennessee law, with limited civil liability immunity for actions taken in good faith during emergency restoration. These are the men and women who climb poles during ice storms and floods so that families can have heat and light. They deserve the recognition and protection that this designation provides.

Supporting our first responders is not just the right thing to do. It is one of the most important things we can do to protect the quality of life in communities like ours.