Image Credit: TN General Assembly & Canva
The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
Three immigration-related bills are one step closer to becoming law as House and Senate committees recommended the legislation for further consideration in other committees or chamber floors.
SB1922– Requires state and local governments to verify citizenship of prospective employees
This legislation would reiterate and clarify already existing legal requirements for all state and local government employers, including counties, cities, and local school systems, to use the federal E-Verify program when confirming the work authorization of employees. As an enforcement mechanism, local governments and school systems would also be prohibited from adopting policies or rules that conflict with the requirement, and the state Attorney General’s office would be granted enforcement authority through the withholding of state funding.
During the Senate State & Local Government Committee there were a few general clarifying questions for bill sponsor Richard Briggs, and the vote was 7-2 in favor along party lines. SB1922 will now head to the Senate Calendar Committee to secure a date for a vote.
The House companion, HB1705, passed the full House on Monday, meaning that if this bill clears one last vote on the Senate floor, assuming they conform to the House version, it can become law.
SB1915– Requires local government agencies that distribute benefits to check immigration status
Under this legislation, mandates requiring governmental entities to verify the citizenship or legal residency in the U.S. of anyone who is 18 years or older applying for federal, state, or local public health governments would be expanded to include local government agencies like towns, cities, counties, and local health departments.
If applicants do not present appropriate documentation to prove citizenship, they must be reported to the state’s Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division, and local agencies that fail to comply could be subject to investigation by the Attorney General and potentially funding cuts.
Additionally, public employees who do not comply with the requirements could be charged with a Class A misdemeanor.
Concerns about how this bill could negatively impact homeless individuals or those escaping domestic violence who may not have identification or ability to prove citizenship were raised by committee Democrats, but committee member Sen. Richard Briggs spoke about his experiences with cases like these. He explained that homeless persons without identification are usually assigned a case worker when they seek public benefits who can help establish the needed proof via other avenues like relatives, previous addresses, or military service records.
After addressing this topic, the vote was 6-3 in favor of passage. Republican Todd Gardenhire joined Democrats in voting “No”.
Having cleared the Senate State & Local Government Committee, SB1915 will also soon be given a floor date by the Senate Calendar Committee. House companion HB1710 is on the House State & Local Government Committee schedule for today, March 18.
HB1817– Takes commercial drivers off roads if unable to read & speak English sufficiently
Sponsored by Representative Lowell Russell, HB1817 requires an enforcement officer to issue an out-of-service order if a commercial driver is found not to be fluent in English. The license would remain suspended and a substitute driver who is proficient in English would take over operation of the vehicle until the original driver could demonstrate a sufficient grasp of English via a test administered by the department of safety.
This bill also charges the employer of the out-of-service driver with a Class C misdemeanor and gives a citation punishable by a $500 fine.
After passing the House Transportation Subcommittee last week, the bill was heard in the full Transportation Committee on Tuesday where the only objection was made by Democrat Rep. Justin Pearson who could not continue with his line of protest when it was made clear that in Tennessee, CDL exams are already only in English, aligning with federal requirements, versus the multiple languages in which regular license exams are offered.
The question was then called on the bill, and the vote was 15-2 in favor, with only Democrats voting against. The bill now moves to the Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee at a date not yet scheduled.
Senate companion SB1748 by Sen. Janice Bowling has cleared the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee and is scheduled for a full Senate vote on Thursday, March 19.
If you support this legislation, use this tool to find contact information for your Senator and encourage them to vote in favor of SB1748 before the floor vote on March 19.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
