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HB1711 • 2026

Immigration

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 9, relative to reporting regarding persons not lawfully present in the United States.

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Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Davis, White
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on the consequences if someone fails to report as required.

Reporting Requirements for Undocumented Individuals

This bill requires law enforcement and local government entities to report information about undocumented individuals who engage in illegal activities or receive public benefits to state and federal authorities.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires law enforcement agencies to send quarterly reports to the centralized immigration enforcement division of the department of safety, and appropriate federal officials regarding illegal activities, including criminal gang activities and violations of federal immigration laws, by persons not lawfully present in the U.S.
  • Requires local government entities to report violations of ordinances and resolutions subject to civil penalties and receipt of public benefits by individuals who are not U.S. citizens or qualified aliens to the centralized immigration enforcement division.
  • Requires law enforcement agencies to report individuals who are not U.S. citizens or qualified aliens if they are charged with or convicted of criminal offenses to the centralized immigration enforcement division.
  • Requires the department of finance and administration to report annually on or before December 31, starting from 2026, the annual cost incurred by this state for public schools, prisons, hospitals, and social services agencies to provide benefits and services to persons not lawfully present in the U.S.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Law enforcement agencies
  • Local government entities
  • Undocumented individuals

Terms To Know

Qualified aliens
People who are allowed to live and work in the U.S. under certain conditions.
Centralized immigration enforcement division
A part of the state's safety department that handles immigration issues.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if someone fails to report as required.
  • It is unclear how this reporting will affect local communities and services for undocumented individuals.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

Amendment 1-0 to HB1711

Plain English: The amendment adds new sections to Tennessee law that require local governments, state departments, and educational institutions to report data on individuals who may not be lawfully present in the United States and the associated costs.

  • Adds a new part to Title 4 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, titled 'Unlawful-Immigration Cost Reporting Act', which requires reporting on persons not lawfully present in the U.S. and related costs.
  • Requires local educational agencies (LEAs) and public charter schools to report the number of students who cannot provide documentation proving their lawful presence in the United States.
  • Instructs higher education institutions, including private ones, to report the number of students receiving state or federal subsidies who are unable to prove their legal status.
  • Directs healthcare providers to report on undocumented patients served during the previous calendar year.
  • The amendment text is incomplete and ends abruptly, making it unclear if there are additional requirements or details that would be included in the final version.
Amendment 2-0 to HB1711

Plain English: The amendment changes how local educational agencies and public charter schools report on students' lawful presence status in the United States.

  • Local educational agencies and public charter schools must now submit reports about students who have or haven't provided documentation to prove their legal status in the U.S. by January 1st each year, starting from 2027.
  • The Tennessee Department of Education will calculate costs related to these students and report this information annually.
  • The amendment text does not specify what happens if a student cannot provide documentation or the consequences for schools that do not comply with reporting requirements.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed behind the budget

  3. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/8/2026

  4. 2026-04-01 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  5. 2026-03-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  6. 2026-03-30 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/31/2026

  7. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/31/2026

  8. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/31/2026

  9. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  10. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  11. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/31/2026

  12. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/25/2026

  13. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/25/2026

  14. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/24/2026

  15. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  16. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/24/2026

  17. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/24/2026

  18. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/18/2026

  19. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/18/2026

  20. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/17/2026

  21. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/11/2026

  22. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action def. in State & Local Government Committee to 3/11/2026

  23. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. State & Local Government Committee for 3/4/2026

  24. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  25. 2026-02-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Departments & Agencies Subcommittee for 2/17/2026

  26. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee

  27. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  28. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Departments & Agencies Subcommittee

  29. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  30. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  31. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  32. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  33. 2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

This bill requires law enforcement agencies to communicate with local governmental entities and officials to submit quarterly reports to the centralized immigration enforcement division of the department of safety, and the appropriate federal official re
garding illegal activities, including criminal gang activities and violations of federal immigration laws, of persons who are not lawfully present in the United States. The law enforcement agency must include in its quarterly reports those persons arrest
ed
or otherwise detained for violations of federal immigration laws.

This bill requires the department of finance and administration to report to the governor and the speakers of the senate and house of representatives on or before December 31, 2026, and each December 31 thereafter, the annual cost incurred by this state
for public schools, including public higher education institutions; prisons; hospitals; and social services agencies to provide benefits and services to persons not lawfully present in the United States.

This bill requires a local governmental entity to report to the centralized immigration enforcement division violations of ordinances and resolutions subject to the imposition of civil penalties by individuals who are not United States citizens or qualif
ied aliens, and the receipt of public benefits by individuals who are not United States citizens or qualified aliens. A law enforcement agency must also report individuals who are not United States citizens or qualified aliens who are charged or convicte
d
of criminal offenses to the centralized immigration enforcement division. An employee's or official's failure to report a violation of this bill is a Class A misdemeanor, which is punishable by a term of imprisonment no greater than 11 months, 29 days; a
fine not to exceed $2,500; or both.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2108
By White

HOUSE BILL 1711
By Davis
HB1711
011402
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4;
Title 7; Title 8 and Title 9, relative to reporting
regarding persons not lawfully present in the
United States.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 7, Chapter 68, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
A law enforcement agency shall communicate with local governmental entities
and officials to submit quarterly reports to the centralized immigration enforcement
division of the department of safety, created in § 4-3-2014, and the appropriate federal
official regarding illegal activities, including criminal gang activities and violations of
federal immigration laws, of persons who are not lawfully present in the United States.
The law enforcement agency shall include in its quarterly reports those persons arrested
or otherwise detained for violations of federal immigration laws.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-1-425, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection (f) and redesignating existing subsection (f) accordingly:
(f) The department of finance and administration shall report to the governor and
the speakers of the senate and house of representatives on or before December 31,
2026, and each December 31 thereafter, the annual cost incurred by this state for public
schools, including public higher education institutions, prisons, hospitals, and social
services agencies to provide benefits and services to persons not lawfully present in the
United States.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 58, is amended by adding
the following as a new section:

- 2 - 011402

(a) A local governmental entity shall report to the centralized immigration
enforcement division:
(1) Violations of ordinances and resolutions subject to the imposition of
civil penalties by individuals who are not United States citizens or qualified aliens;
and
(2) The receipt of public benefits by individuals who are not United States
citizens or qualified aliens.
(b) A law enforcement agency, as defined in § 7-68-102, shall report individuals
who are not United States citizens or qualified aliens who are charged or convicted of
criminal offenses to the centralized immigration enforcement division.
(c) An employee's or official's failure to report in violation of this section is a
Class A misdemeanor.
SECTION 4. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.