TIRRC is a statewide, immigrant and refugee-led collaboration whose mission is to empower immigrants and refugees throughout Tennessee to develop a unified voice, defend their rights, and create an atmosphere in which they are recognized as positive contributors to the state.
Tennessee state policy in one of the most important areas where TIRRC strives to positively impact our Click here to return to the TIRRC policy main page.;)
community. By monitoring state legislation and organizing local leaders to lobby on their own behalf, TIRRC can pressure our legislators to make the right decisions about the issues that are important to all Tennessee residents.
If you want to know who your state legislator is and/or want to contact them please click here to go to the Tennessee General Assembly home page. Please look on the bottom right side and enter your contact info where it says " find my state legislator" and enter your complete home address.
On Tuesday, May 1st, the 107th General Assembly adjourned, finishing the second year of their two-year session. Most members of the legislature were eager to return to their newly drawn districts to prepare for the upcoming campaign. While immigration in some ways took the backseat to other social issues in terms of heated rhetoric and media coverage, a handful of lawmakers continued to pursue a clear anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim agenda. TIRRC and its allies across the state fought hard to defeat or minimize the impact of all legislation proposed that would have a negative impact on immigrant refugee communities in Tennessee.
Click here to read TIRRC's 2012 Legislative Overview summarizing all the bills that were debated this session.
The second session of the 107th General Assembly is in full swing. In last year's session we saw numerous efforts to criminalize and further marginalize members of the immigrant community. While we were successful in holding the line and preventing many of the anti-immigrant bills from becoming law, most are resurfacing in committees and are again threatening to pass. TIRRC members and allies need to stand strong this session and hold our elected officials accountable.
In addition to the anti-immigrant bills that were not settled last session, elected officials have added nearly a dozen new bills to their agenda. Once again, legislators are prioritizing costly anti-immigrant bills instead of focusing on the real priorities of Tennesseans. Check back often for updates on the status of the bills throughout the legislative session.
Below is a full list of bills proposed this year, and those that remain from last year's session. The first set of bills listed below are four (4) bills as currently having a positive impact on immigrant communities. Following these bills, are the proposed bills that will have a negative impact on immigrant communities, categorized by their impact. The last list of bills are unclear in their impact and intent and are listed under "Bills to Watch."
Check back often for updates on these bills, their status, and how you can help support immigrant rights this session!
Join TIRRC this legislative session in pushing back against these anti-immigrant bills and push our law makers to find real solutions for Tennessee—creating jobs, rebuilding our economy, and investing in communities.
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In their current form, the following bills would have a positive impact on immigrant communities in Tennessee. However, TIRRC will actively be tracking these bills to ensure that any amendments made do not change the impact or compromise the intent of the bill.
New Bills
Documenting Local Costs of ICE Detainers: SB3416(Marrero) HB3608(Richardson)
Summary: This bill, "removes reporting requirement of jail and detention facility keepers to federal authorities when a person arrested, booked or confined is determined to be in violation of the Immigration and Naturalization Act; places certain reporting requirements on jail keepers if an individual in custody under a Form 1-247 civil immigration detainer does not meet certain criteria for reimbursement to the state." Full Text of the Bill
Status: Taken off notice in House State & Local Government Subcommittee 3/21. Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee.
Delaying Spread of E-Verify to Understand Impact: SB3506(Tate) HB3639(Haynes)
Summary: This bill, redefines "employee" under the Tennessee Lawful Employment Act to mean "any Tennessee resident" instead of "any individual"; requires employers who enroll in E-Verify to use such program; changes date by which certain employers must comply with certain provisions of the Act from January 1, 2013 to January 1, 2014." Full Text of the Bill
Status: No longer on calendar. Moved to general subcommittee of Senate Commerce, Labor & Agriculture Committee (3/28). Assigned to House Subcommittee on Consumer & Employee Affairs.
Free Exercise of Religion in Hospitals: SB2775(McNally) HB3149(Dunn)
Summary: This bill, "prohibits any person from coercing, compelling or forcing a hospital to violate any person's free exercise of religion or religious beliefs; makes a violation a Class A misdemeanor." Full Text of the Bill
Status: Not yet on calendar. Referred to Senate Health & Welfare Committee, House Health and Human Resources Committee.
Remaining from 2011 Session
Prohibiting Bias Based Policing: SB1734(Tate) HB1806(Richardson)
Summary: This bill, "[r]equires any law enforcement officer who makes a lawful stop or detention of a person for a violation of a state law or local ordinance and who has reasonable suspicion to believe that the person stopped or detained is unlawfully present in the Untied States, to request verification of the immigration status of such person from federal immigration authorities." Full Text of the Bill
Status: Not yet on calendar. Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee, Taken off Notice in House Subcommittee on State & Local Government.
New Bills
Alabama-Copycat Bill: SB2176 (Beavers) HB2191 (Shipley)
Summary: This bill makes it a Class E felony to, "[c]onceal, harbor or shield from detection" or "transport or move another" anywhere in Tennessee who that person "knows or reasonably should know is an illegal alien." Full Text of the Bill
Status: Taken off notice for calendar in Judiciary Committee (2/7/11). In Senate, referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
Prohibiting Lease of Property, Landlords to Maintain Identification of Tenants: SB2471(McNally) HB2227(Hurley)
Summary: This bill makes it a Class E felony to, "[c]onceal, harbor or shield from detection" or "transport or move another" anywhere in Tennessee who that person "knows or reasonably should know is an illegal alien." Full Text of the Bill
Status: Not yet on calendar. Referred to Senate Commerce, Labor & Agriculture Committee, House General Subcommittee of Commerce.
Remaining From 2011 Session
Harboring, Concealing, Transporting Undocumented Immigrants: SB0137(Ketron) HB0142(Shipley)
Summary: This bill, "creates felony offenses for concealing, harboring, shielding from detection, transporting, or any attempt thereof, certain persons in this state; provides that certain property utilized in committing such offenses be subject to forfeiture." Full Text of the Bill
Status: Not yet on calendar. Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee, assigned to House General Subcommittee of Judiciary (2/9/11).
**See also: SB2176/HB2191(Shipley) filed this session.
