HOUSE BILL NO. 1435

By Representatives Patton, Ford, Davis

Substituted for: Senate Bill No. 1648

By Senators Crowe, Gilbert

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 38 and Title 49, relative to College and University Security Officers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:

SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-7-118, is amended by adding the following as a new subsection:

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(1) Security Officers properly commissioned and qualified in accordance with the policies of the Board of Regents and Board of Trustees and this section may enter into such written mutual assistance or other agreements with other law enforcement agencies, including a County Sheriff's Department, Municipal Police Department, Judicial District Drug Task Force, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation or Tennessee Highway Patrol, as are necessary to preserve and protect the property, students and employees of the college or university employing the officers and to otherwise perform their duties. Such agreements may provide for the exchange of law enforcement officers and security officers when required for a particular purpose or for mutual assistance to effectuate arrests, execute search warrants and perform other law enforcement functions when either the security officers or law enforcement officers find it necessary to act outside of their statutory jurisdiction.

(2) When acting pursuant to a written mutual assistance or other agreement, a law enforcement officer or security officer shall have the same legal status and immunity from suit as officers of the agency the officer is assisting. A law enforcement officer or security officer acting pursuant to such an assistance agreement shall be covered by the liability insurance policy of the agency of the officer's regular employment.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.