MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed SB29 into law on Thursday, giving first responders in the state the option to live where they choose.
The law immediately bans residency requirements for police officers, firefighters and emergency medical services workers statewide excluding Hamilton County. It also ends the current $2,500 annual fine imposed on Shelby County sheriffs who live outside the county.
The Associated Press reported House and Senate lawmakers had gone back and forth whether the ban should apply statewide or only in Memphis, where the police chief has argued the region's residency requirement has hindered recruitment efforts and staffing shortages.
"I first introduced legislation on this matter in 2008 and firmly believe this law will increase public safety and help us fight our rising crime rates," Sen. Brian Kelsey said in a news release. "In 2021, the city of Memphis recorded a record-breaking 346 homicides. At least 31 of these victims were under 18, with homicide claiming more lives of children in Shelby County than the COVID-19 pandemic. This bill will mean more boots on the ground to help keep our citizens safer."
Critics of the bill had argued that if first responders can live outside the county, they could take their paychecks back to other communities, the Associated Press reported.
Earlier this year, the Associated Press reported Lee proposed funding 20 additional Tennessee Highway Patrol officers for Shelby County to help fight crime in the Memphis area. He has also proposed a new $150 million fund for law enforcement agencies across the state to invest in programming and resources, and expansion of funding for basic training.