Civil Procedure

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide information on changes to other specific sections of Tennessee law beyond Titles mentioned in the summary.

Limiting Legal Rights for Unauthorized Aliens

This bill stops unauthorized aliens from starting or being part of civil lawsuits in Tennessee as plaintiffs.

What This Bill Does

• Defines an 'unauthorized alien' as someone who is unlawfully present in the United States according to federal law.
• Says that unauthorized aliens cannot start a lawsuit or join one as a plaintiff in Tennessee.

Who It Names or Affects

• Unauthorized aliens who want to file lawsuits in Tennessee.
• Courts in Tennessee handling civil cases.

Terms To Know

unauthorized alien

A person not legally allowed to be in the United States according to federal immigration laws.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not address unauthorized aliens joining lawsuits as parties other than plaintiffs.
• It is unclear how this law will affect existing cases or those already filed by unauthorized aliens before the bill becomes active.

Official Summary Text

This bill provides that
an unauthorized alien does not
have standing to commence or appear as a plaintiff in any civil action brought in this state.
As used in this bill, an "unauthorized alien"
means a person who is unlawfully present in the United States according to the terms of the federal Immigration and
Nationality Act
,
and
such term
must be interpreted consistently with any applicable federal statutes, rules, or regulations.

Current Bill Text

SENATE BILL 1046
By Bowling

HOUSE BILL 609
By Rudd

HB0609
001889
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 8; Title 16; Title 20; Title 28 and Title 29,
relative to persons unlawfully present in this state.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 20, Chapter 1, is amended by adding
the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section, "unauthorized alien" means a person who is
unlawfully present in the United States according to the terms of the federal Immigration
and Nationality Act, 8 U.S.C. § 1101 et. seq., and must be interpreted consistently with
any applicable federal statutes, rules, or regulations.
(b) Notwithstanding another law to the contrary, an unauthorized alien does not
have standing to commence or appear as a plaintiff in any civil action brought in this
state.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.