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Committee advances bill letting TWRA and local law enforcement coordinate on public-safety wildlife responses
Summary
Senate Bill 2597 authorizes the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to enter limited agreements with local law enforcement to assist with enforcement of TWRA rules for public-safety incidents (citing bear feeding problems in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge); the committee moved the bill to the calendar.
Senator Sutherland presented Senate Bill 2597 to permit the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency director to enter limited agreements with local law enforcement agencies to assist in enforcing TWRA rules and proclamations for public-safety matters. The sponsor said the measure aims to address human-wildlife conflicts — for example, unauthorized feeding of bears in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge — by enabling cooperation where park and municipal jurisdictions intersect.
"Basically, what they're doing is allowing Tennessee Wildlife and local law enforcement in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge to come to an agreement to help, enforce," Senator Sutherland said, describing increased fines and enforcement options as deterrents to dangerous feeding practices. The committee voted to move SB 2597 to the calendar.
