Election Laws

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on consequences for voting without valid ID or how it will affect those lacking acceptable IDs.

Voter ID Requirements

This bill changes Tennessee election laws by requiring voters to show valid and unexpired identification when voting or registering to vote.

What This Bill Does

• Requires voters to have a valid, unexpired form of identification to cast their ballot in an election.
• Updates Tennessee's voter identification laws by adding these requirements.

Who It Names or Affects

• Voters who need to show identification when voting or registering to vote.
• County election commissions responsible for verifying voter IDs during registration.

Terms To Know

Valid and unexpired

An ID that is current, not expired, and accepted by the state.

Evidence of identification

A document like a driver's license or passport that proves who you are.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if someone tries to vote without valid ID.
• It is unclear how this will affect voters who do not have access to acceptable forms of identification.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 658
By Hensley

HOUSE BILL 574
By Doggett

HB0574
001326
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2,
relative to voter identification.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-7-112, is amended by designating
subsection (c) as subdivision (c)(1) and adding the following new subdivision (c)(2):
(2) "Evidence of identification," as described in subdivision (c)(1), does not
include a license, identification card, passport, or other document that has expired or
that is invalid for any reason.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Chapter 2, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
Notwithstanding a law to the contrary, a county election commission shall not
register a person to vote unless the applicant has provided proof satisfactory to the
respective commission that the person holds valid, unexpired evidence of identification
as described in § 2-7-112(c)(1) at the time of processing the applicant's application to
register.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.