A proposed Tennessee bill would make it easier to own a domesticated raccoon.

The Republican-backed proposed legislation, sponsored by Senator Joey Hensley and State Representative Kip Capley, would lift the permit fee currently required to own a pet raccoon as long as the animal is obtained from a legal source, has been vaccinated, is non-native, was not captured from the wild, and the owner must obtain a possession permit for the raccoon has been issued by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency.

The bill is set to receive a final vote on the Senate floor on Monday, March 23, 2026.

It’s still working its way through the committee process in the House.

If passed, the legislation would go into effect on July 1, 2026.