A contentious bill requiring the Shelby County district attorney to notify state and federal officials when certain cases arising from the Memphis Safe Task Force result in plea deals, reduced charges, or dismissals has cleared the Tennessee General Assembly and now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk.
The Memphis Safe Task Force Accountability Act passed the Senate 27-5 and previously cleared the House 74-21. It was sponsored by Sen. Brent Taylor and Rep. John Gillespie, both Shelby County Republicans, and targets the handling of serious felony cases generated by the task force — a collaboration between multiple state and federal law enforcement agencies and the Tennessee National Guard that has been operating in Memphis since September 2025.
The task force has made more than 7,700 arrests since launching, including 47 homicide arrests, 848 related to controlled substances, and 680 for firearms violations, according to the U.S. Marshals Service. The task force has also conducted more than 100,000 traffic stops in six months and issued nearly 18,000 traffic citations.
Sen. Taylor said the legislation is designed to ensure accountability in serious cases, noting that because only about 25 percent of task force arrests will be tried in federal court, the U.S. Attorney needs to know when a state-level charge has been dropped — a disclosure that does not currently happen automatically.
Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy has been a vocal opponent of the bill. His office called the measure an unnecessary paperwork burden that diverts staff time away from investigating cases, preparing for trial, and helping victims. The Tennessee District Attorneys General Conference also voted to oppose the bill.
“This isn’t about transparency,” Mulroy said. “It’s not about accountability. It’s just extra paperwork for political reasons.” Despite his objections, Mulroy said his office will comply with the law if it is signed. He added that task force cases have already increased daily court dockets by as much as 50%, straining a court system that was stretched thin before the task force’s arrival.
Democratic Rep. Justin J. Pearson, a Memphis lawmaker, questioned the severity of some of the task force’s arrests, arguing that a significant share of those detained were stopped for minor traffic violations. He dubbed the initiative the Memphis “un-safe” task force.
