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SENATE BILL 1889
By Taylor
HOUSE BILL 1708
By Capley
HB1708
011205
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AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55,
Chapter 4; Title 55, Chapter 50 and Title 65,
Chapter 15, relative to motor vehicles.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-50-322, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection (k) and redesignating the existing subsection (k) as
subsection (l):
(k)
(1)
(A) If an applicant for a driver license or intermediate driver
license is unable to speak and read the English language, then the
applicant may be administered the written examination in a language
other than English pursuant to this subdivision (k)(1).
(B) If the department issues a driver license or intermediate driver
license pursuant to subdivision (k)(1)(A), the license must be a restricted
license that is non-renewable, valid for only one (1) year, and granted for
the limited purposes of travelling to and from an educational institution
during the institution's regular hours, if the applicant is enrolled at an
educational institution; to and from and working at the applicant's regular
place of employment; and to and from the applicant's medical
appointments.
(C) Upon expiration of the restricted license issued pursuant to
this subdivision (k)(1), to obtain a driver license or intermediate driver
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license, the applicant shall retake only the written examination and it must
be administered to the applicant in English only. The applicant shall not
use a translation dictionary, an electronic device, or an interpreter to
assist with the administration of the re-examination.
(2) Subdivision (k)(1) does not apply to an applicant who is unable to
speak the English language sufficiently, is capable of reading and writing in the
English language, and presents a written statement from a physician that the
applicant has a hearing impairment that impacts the applicant's ability to speak
the English language sufficiently.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 4, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
55-4-144.
(a) The commissioner of revenue or a county clerk shall not process an
application for initial issuance or renewal of registration of a motor vehicle until the
applicant provides documentation, whether in paper or electronic format, that the
applicant is:
(1) A citizen of the United States;
(2) A lawful permanent resident of the United States; or
(3) A person whose presence in the United States has been authorized
by the federal government for a specific purpose and for a specified period of
authorized stay.
(b) A Tennessee driver license or Tennessee photo identification license
constitutes satisfactory proof of subdivision (a)(1), and a Tennessee temporary driver
license or Tennessee temporary photo identification license constitutes satisfactory proof
of subdivision (a)(2) or (a)(3).
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(c) For purposes of this section, acceptable electronic formats include display of
electronic images on a cell phone or any other type of portable electronic device.
(d) Every registration or renewal of registration must be accompanied by the
following notice:
THE OWNER AND/OR OPERATOR OF THIS VEHICLE IS REQUIRED
TO BE A UNITED STATES CITIZEN, LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENT, OR
TEMPORARY LAWFUL RESIDENT PURSUANT TO TENNESSEE CODE
ANNOTATED, § 55-4-144.
SECTION 3. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance
is held invalid, then the invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the act that
can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end, the provisions of
this act are severable.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.