Bill To Allow First Responders To Live Where They Choose Passes First Hurdle In Tennessee Senate Tuesday, February 23, 2021 Members of the Senate State and Local Government Committee on Tuesday voted to advance Senate Bill 29 which would allow first responders to live where they choose. The measure, sponsored by State Senator Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown), would ban residency requirements statewide for police officers and firefighters.
Senator Kelsey said the bill "is a matter of public safety and will allow police and fire departments to recruit top tier first responder candidates, regardless of where they live. In particular, it will help Tennessee address a deficit of police officers occurring throughout the country.