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HB 2608

Privacy, Confidentiality - As introduced, enacts the "Protecting Everyone from Excessive Police Surveillance (PEEPS) Act" for the purposes of protecting, maintaining, and accessing historical location data. - Amends TCA Title 10; Title 24 and Title 38.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Bud Hulsey

Tennessee bill restricts law enforcement access to historical location data, requiring probable cause standards to protect citizen privacy from police surveillance.

Action Def. in s/c Criminal Justice Subcommittee to 3/18/2026
#confidentiality #privacy
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Bill Summary · HB 2608

Legislative bill overview

HB 2608, the "Protecting Everyone from Excessive Police Surveillance (PEEPS) Act," establishes new legal protections around law enforcement access to historical location data. The bill amends Tennessee's statutes governing privacy, confidentiality, and law enforcement procedures to create standards for when and how police can obtain and use location information from individuals.

Why is this important

Location data—collected by cell phones, GPS devices, and other tracking technologies—can reveal intimate details about a person's movements, routines, religious practices, and associations. Without clear legal safeguards, law enforcement access to this data raises significant privacy concerns. This legislation attempts to balance public safety interests with individual privacy rights in an era of increasingly sophisticated tracking capabilities.

Potential points of contention

  • Warrant requirements vs. investigative flexibility: The bill likely establishes warrant requirements for accessing historical location data, which law enforcement may argue limits their ability to respond quickly to serious crimes or conduct investigations efficiently.
  • Scope of data covered: Questions may arise about which technologies and data types fall under the bill's protections (cell tower records, GPS, smart devices, social media location data, etc.), and whether the definitions are precise enough.
  • Emergency exceptions: Disagreement may emerge over what circumstances justify warrantless access to location data in emergencies, and whether those exceptions are too broad or too narrow.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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