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HB2036 • 2026

Election Laws

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, relative to elections for federal office.

Elections
Active

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

Sponsor
Garrett, Taylor
Last action
2026-03-17
Official status
Taken off notice for cal in s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee of State & Local Government Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Election Rules for Federal Candidates

This bill changes Tennessee's election laws by adding rules that prevent people from running in primary elections for federal jobs if they have dual citizenship or are not natural-born U.S. citizens.

What This Bill Does

  • Adds a new rule to the state’s election law book.
  • Says someone can't run as a candidate in a primary election for a federal job if they hold dual citizenship.
  • Also says someone can't run as a candidate in a primary election for a federal job if they are not a natural-born citizen of the United States.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who want to be candidates in Tennessee’s primary elections for federal jobs.
  • The state government officials responsible for running these elections.

Terms To Know

Dual citizenship
A legal status where a person is simultaneously recognized as a citizen of the United States and another country.
Natural-born citizen
An individual who is a U.S. citizen at birth by being born in the United States or born abroad to parents who are U.S. citizens.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if someone breaks this new rule.
  • It's unclear how many people might be affected by these changes.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to General Subcommittee of Senate State and Local Government Committee

  2. 2026-03-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  3. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  6. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Taken off notice for cal in s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee of State & Local Government Committee

  7. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  8. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee for 3/17/2026

  9. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  10. 2026-03-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/17/2026

  11. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/10/2026

  12. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Action deferred in Senate State and Local Government Committee to 3/10/2026

  13. 2026-02-24 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  14. 2026-02-17 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  15. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee

  16. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  17. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  18. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  19. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  20. 2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  21. 2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
SENATE BILL 1825
By Taylor

HOUSE BILL 2036
By Garrett
HB2036
011453
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2,
relative to elections for federal office.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Chapter 13, Part 2, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) A person shall not qualify as a candidate in a primary election for federal
office who:
(1) Holds dual citizenship; or
(2) Is not a natural-born citizen of the United States.
(b) As used in this section:
(1) "Dual citizenship" means a legal status where a person is
simultaneously recognized as a citizen of the United States and of another
country; and
(2) "Natural-born citizen" means an individual who is a United States
citizen at birth by being born in the United States or born abroad to parents who
are United States citizens.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.