Residency requirements for cops and firefighters would be prohibited across Tennessee — not just in Memphis — after the state House of Representatives passed the Senate version of the ban on Monday, Feb. 24.

House Republicans wanted to allow residency requirements everywhere except for Memphis. But last week, the state Senate rejected that version. The bill includes an exception allowing Hamilton County, which includes Chattanooga, to impose residency requirements.

State Senate rejects House version of police residency requirement bill

The bill is intended to address a shortage of officers. It passed by a 75-17 vote. Four Democrats, none from Memphis, joined Republicans in supporting it.

Sen. Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown), the bill’s Senate sponsor, said he was “thrilled” the House accepted the bill.

“With this law, I believe Memphis could quickly hire a hundred new police officers,” Kelsey stated in a press release.

Essica Cage, president of the Memphis Police Association, echoed Kelsey in the same release.

“This law is an essential step in leveling the playing field and allowing us to be more competitive in recruiting, hiring and retaining police officers from a larger geographic area,” Cage said. “Simply put, the lifting of residency requirements will translate into more boots on the ground to help curb rising violent crime rates and keep citizens safer.”

Many Democrats opposed the House version of the bill, but not all of them opposed residency requirement bans. Instead, they took issue to the fact that lawmakers from outside Memphis were targeting the city.

General Assembly passes ban on police, fire residency requirements — for Memphis only

Rep. Johnny Shaw (D-Bolivar), for example, voted in favor of the bill after objecting to the House version specific to Memphis.

The House’s acceptance of the bill eliminates the need for a conference committee to hash out differences between the two chambers’ versions. Now the bill goes to Gov. Bill Lee for his signature.