Tennessee § 49-2-116 - School safety zones.

§ 49-2-116. School safety zones.

Any county or municipality is authorized to establish school safety zones. As used in this section, unless the content otherwise requires: “School” means any public or private elementary, secondary school or state college of applied technology; and “School property” means all property used for school purposes, including, but not limited to, school playgrounds. A school safety zone is the territory extending five hundred feet (500') from school property or within the area bounded by a divided federal highway, whichever is less. The director of schools, with the approval of the board of education, may develop a method of marking school safety zones, including the use of signs. Signs or other markings shall be located in a visible manner on or near each school indicating that such area is a school safety zone, that such zone extends five hundred feet (500') from school property or within the area bounded by a divided federal highway, whichever is less, and that the delivery or sale of a controlled substance or controlled substance analogue to a minor in the school safety zone may subject the offender to an enhanced punishment. The state board of education shall assist the LEA in complying with the posting provisions of this subsection (d). Acts 1994, ch. 973, §§ 1, 2; 2012, ch. 848, § 39; 2013, ch. 473, § 11; 2020, ch. 803, §§ 10, 11. Compiler's Notes. Acts 2020, ch. 803, § 12 provided that the act, which amended this section, applies to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2020. Amendments. The 2020 amendment, in (c), substituted “extending five hundred feet (500') from school property or within the area bounded by a divided federal highway, whichever is less” for “located within one thousand feet (1,000') of school property”; and, in the second sentence of (d), substituted “five hundred feet (500') from school property or within the area bounded by a divided federal highway, whichever is less,” for “one thousand feet (1,000') from school property” and “may” for “will”. Effective Dates. Acts 2020, ch. 803, § 12. September 1, 2020.