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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
After both chambers in the General Assembly reached agreements on their amendments, two more immigration-related bills regarding English-speaking drivers and citizenship checks are set to become Tennessee law while a third bill will follow along similarly if the House and Senate can come into consensus on a rather large discrepancy before the end of the week.
SB1748– Takes commercial drivers off roads if unable to read & speak English sufficiently
Sponsored by Sen. Janice Bowling, SB1748 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 passes the written commercial driver license test in English.
The bill passed both chambers, but the House version contained a minor amendment which did not substantially alter the content of the legislation, causing it to return to the Senate for one final vote on whether to agree with the House language.
Democrats maintained their objections to the bill, calling it “discriminatory” and expressing concern for livestock or other animals being abandoned should the truck be ordered out-of-service. Sen. Bowling responded that the owner of the truck would be notified and assumes all responsibility for the truck and its cargo, no matter what kind.
Concurring with the House amendment 25-5 along party lines, SB1748 can now proceed to the Governor’s desk for signature into law.
SB1915– Requires citizenship checks for state benefits
This bill would require all state and local governments and county health departments to verify the citizenship or legal residency in the U.S. of anyone who is 18 years or older applying for taxpayer-funded state or local public benefits.
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.
This legislation was also already passed by both chambers, but a House amendment more clearly defining some terms in the bill and deleting the provision that created an offense for public employees or officials who intentionally failed to submit the reports needed to be readopted in the Senate before the bill could move onwards.
Despite more Democrat opposition, the Senate concurred with the House amendment 24-6 along party lines, and SB1915 will now proceed for signature into law by Gov. Lee.
SB1889 – Ensure those applying for a Tennessee driver’s license speak & read English
While the Tennessee Department of Safety currently offers written license exams in several languages in addition to English including German, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish, this legislation would mandate that should applicants fail to meet “sufficient” English standards and take the test in an alternative language, they would be issued a three-year unrestricted non-renewable license.
Upon its expiration, the driver would have to retake the renewal written exam in English without any assistance before being issued a license on the standard renewal schedule. Additionally, applicants for vehicle registry would be required to provide evidence they are a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or have temporary lawful resident status.
However, this version of the bill differs significantly from its House companion, HB1708, which still allows the applicant to take the initial test in another language besides English but only allows the issuance of an 18-month restricted license, making it far more stringent than the Senate counterpart in this requirement.
Bill sponsor Sen. Brent Taylor has stated that the amendment in SB1889 is a result of negotiations with several entitles concerned about the ability of foreign workers to obtain their driver’s licenses as Tennessee continues to court investments from non-American companies.
“There were concerns with ECD [Economic & Community Development] with all of the recruitment we’re doing with foreign countries and the investment in Tennessee from foreign countries that this was the compromise we were able to work out that seemed to give everybody the least amount of heartburn,” he previously said in a committee meeting.
Taylor elaborated on this position on the Senate floor Wednesday, “What we’re attempting to get at here is, currently people come to the United States from foreign countries that are working for companies here in Tennessee, they have a three-year work visa. And we’re just trying to line up the driver’s license to match that 36 months, and if they extend their visa then they would have to get a new license but be required to take that test in English only. What we’re trying to prevent is people coming with a three-year visa and then getting a five or six-year driver’s license, and if they overstay their visa, they have a driver’s license that is valid, and we’re just trying to sync that up with the visa.”
The Senate passed their iteration of the bill 26-5 along party lines, and as the General Assembly is in “flow motion”, allowing bills to pass from chamber to chamber on the same day to hasten the process of passage, the House was able to consider SB1889 later Wednesday evening. As HB1708 has already been passed by the House, the body had to decide whether to agree with the Senate changes, which bill sponsor Rep. Kip Capley elected not to do.
Since the bills are not in agreement, the Senate will be notified of the House’s nonconcurrence and reconsider the bill again today. They will either move to recede from their own amendment or refuse to recede, putting the ball back in the House’s court. Should the House also refuse to budge in their position, a conference committee will be appointed comprised of members from both chambers to try and reach an agreeable compromise. Should that compromise be reached, the conference committee members will move the adoption of the new proposal in their respective chamber and, assuming the Reps and Senators vote in the affirmative, pass the bill for good.
The General Assembly is anticipating today being the final day of the 2026 legislative session but has reserved Friday in case they are unable to complete their remaining business. If SB1889/HB1708 is to make it to Gov. Lee for signature into law this year, the two chambers will likely need to ensure the bill is passed before the end of the day.
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.
