HOUSE BILL 954
By Brooks
SENATE BILL 904
By Lamar
SB0904
001488
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AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 33
and Title 38, relative to alternative crisis response
units.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 38-8-101, is amended by adding the
following as new subdivisions:
( ) "Alternative crisis response unit" means a program where a qualified mental
health professional, who is employed by a law enforcement agency, accompanies a full-
time police officer on mental-health related calls for service, and the qualified mental
health professional is considered the lead on the call;
( ) "Qualified mental health professional" means the same as defined in ยง 33-1-
101;
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 38-8-104, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection:
(h) The commission shall establish uniform training standards for alternative
crisis response units for all law enforcement agencies.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 38-8-119, is amended by designating
the existing language as subsection (a) and adding the following as a new subsection (b):
(b) The commission shall annually provide full-time police officers with training
on how to best support a qualified mental health professional to a call for service with the
alternative crisis response unit.
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 38, Chapter 8, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
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By January 1, 2026, each law enforcement agency shall develop and implement
an alternative crisis response unit.
SECTION 5. Section 2 takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
All remaining sections take effect January 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.