HB 121
FISCAL NOTE
Fiscal Review Committee
Tennessee General Assembly
February 3, 2025
Fiscal Analyst: Natalie Dusek | Email: natalie.dusek@capitol.tn.gov | Phone: 615-741-2564
HB 121
SUMMARY OF BILL: Changes, from the Governor to the Commissioner of the
Department of Safety (DOS), the authority to whom a railroad company may apply to have a
number of its agents, servants, or employees commissioned to act as police officers for the
company.
FISCAL IMPACT:
NOT SIGNIFICANT
Assumptions:
• Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 65-6-133(a) and (b), any company or corporation owning
or operating a railroad in this state may apply to the Governor to have a number of its
agents, servants, or employees commissioned to act as police officers for the company.
Upon application, the Governor shall appoint and commission such persons as the
company designates or as many thereof as the Governor deems proper.
• The proposed legislation changes this authority from the Governor to the Commissioner of
DOS.
• The Commissioner currently possesses similar authority and responsibility to, upon
application, appoint and commission peace officers for the Office of Homeland Security,
pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann §§ 38-3-114(a) and (b), and the Tennessee Valley Authority,
pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann § 38-3-120(a).
• Based on information provided by the DOS, the department will be able to accommodate
the additional responsibilities required by the proposed legislation within existing resources.
• It is assumed that the proposed legislation will not significantly decrease the administrative
burden or any personnel within the Governor’s office.
• Any impact to state revenue or expenditures is therefore estimated to be not significant.
CERTIFICATION:
The information contained herein is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Bojan Savic, Executive Director