Key Takeaways Governor Bill Lee signed the expanded deadly force bill into law on May 22, 2026, with an effective date of July 1, 2026. The new law modifies Tennessee’s protection of property statute, allowing the use of deadly force under specific conditions against imminent threats. Deadly force is justified to prevent serious crimes like arson or burglary, and it adds aggravated cruelty to animals as a justifiable offense. The legislation narrows earlier proposals, creating a more defined scope rather than broad protections for property defense. Tennessee’s law aims to align closer to Texas’ standards for defensive force, but the…

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