Amends TCA Title 38.

This bill requires the Tennessee bureau of investigation (TBI), with the cooperation of the department of safety, department of transportation, and other appropriate law enforcement agencies in this state, to implement the Tennessee active shooter alert system ("alert system"), to be activated on a report of an active shooter. This bill requires the TBI director to be the statewide coordinator of the alert system; adopt rules for implementation of the alert system, and prescribe forms for local law enforcement agencies to use in requesting activation of the alert system.<br /> <br /> This bill requires the TBI to recruit public and commercial television and radio broadcasters, mobile telephone service providers by use of the federal wireless emergency alert system, private commercial entities, state or local governmental entities, the public, and other appropriate persons to assist in implementing the alert system.<br /> <br /> This bill requires the TBI, on the request of a local law enforcement agency or as the TBI determines appropriate, to activate the alert system and notify appropriate participants if the local law enforcement agency believes an active shooter is in the agency's jurisdiction; determines an active shooter alert would assist individuals near the location; verifies the active shooter situation through a preliminary investigation; and provides the active shooter's last known location and any identifiable information.<br /> <br /> Before requesting activation of the alert system, this bill requires a local law enforcement agency to verify that the criteria described in this bill have been satisfied. On verification of the applicable criteria, this bill requires the local law enforcement agency to immediately contact the TBI to request activation and supply the necessary information on a prescribed form. This bill requires a law enforcement agency participating in the alert system to establish a plan for providing relevant information to its officers, investigators, or employees on activation of the alert system.<br /> <br /> This bill requires the department of transportation to establish a plan for providing relevant information to the public within 50 miles of an active shooter for which an alert has been issued through an existing system of dynamic message signs located across the state. However, the department is not required to use any existing system of dynamic message signs if the department receives notice from the federal highway administration that the use of the signs would result in the loss of federal highway funding or other punitive actions taken against this state due to noncompliance with federal laws or policies.<br /> <br /> This bill requires the TBI director to terminate any activation of the alert system for a particular active shooter if the active shooter situation is resolved; or the director or a local law enforcement agency determines the alert system is no longer an effective tool for providing relevant information to the public about the active shooter.<br /> <br /> This bill clarifies that the TBI or a local law enforcement agency is not liable for a failure to activate the alert system.<br />