According to Tennessee code 39-13-601 (b)(7),
http://www.michie.com/tennessee/lpe...=&skc=8000000200011B51&c=curr&gh=1&2.0#LPHit1 :
(7) It is lawful, unless otherwise prohibited by state or federal law, for any person:
(A) To intercept or access an electronic communication made through an electronic communication
system that is configured so that the electronic communication is readily accessible to the general public;
(B) To intercept any radio communication that is transmitted by:
(i) Any station for the use of the general public, or that relates to ships, aircraft, vehicles, or persons
in distress;
(ii) Any governmental, law enforcement, civil defense, private land mobile, or public safety
communications system, including police and fire, readily accessible to the general public;
(iii) Any station operating on an authorized frequency within the bands allocated to the amateur,
citizens band, or general mobile radio services; or
(iv) Any marine or aeronautical communications system;
(C) To intercept any wire or electronic communication, the transmission of which is causing harmful
interference with any lawfully operating station or consumer electronic equipment, to the extent necessary
to identify the source of such interference; or
(D) For other users of the same frequency to intercept any radio communication made through a system
that utilizes frequencies monitored by individuals engaged in the provision or the use of such system, if
such communication is not scrambled or encrypted.
I know that the city of Chattanooga and Davidson County(Nashville) have scanner ordinances, you can see some discussion here:
http://www.radioreference.com/forums/showthread.php?t=330
My understanding is that federal preemption that is mention in the link above only applies to licensed amateur on amateur equipment.
No other counties or cities that I know of have scanner ordinances.
I am not a layer, nor do I play one on the internet, but I do not see how the local ordinances can be enforced since state code states "It is lawful, unless otherwise prohibited by state or federal law, for any person any governmental, law enforcement, civil defense, private land mobile, or public safety communications system, including police and fire, readily accessible to the general public".