House Bill 596, also known as the "Tennessee Voluntary Do Not Sell Firearms Act," establishes a process for individuals to voluntarily waive their rights to possess or receive firearms. Under this bill, individuals can submit a waiver form to the clerk of the circuit court in their county, which will prohibit them from firearm possession while the waiver is in effect. The form must be accompanied by valid government-issued photo identification, and the clerk is required to transmit the form to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) within the same business day. The TBI will then enter the waiver into the national instant criminal background check system. Individuals can later revoke their waiver after a minimum of seven days, allowing them to regain their firearm rights, provided they are not otherwise disqualified under federal or state law.

The bill also includes provisions to ensure the confidentiality of records related to the waiver and revocation forms, stating that such records are not open to public access except under specific circumstances. Additionally, it establishes penalties for knowingly making false statements on the forms and prohibits the sale or transfer of firearms to individuals who have an active waiver. The act will take effect upon becoming law for the purposes of developing forms and rules, while the full provisions will be effective starting January 1, 2026.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 39-17-1316(d)(1), 39-17-1316, 39-17-1316(q), 10-7-504