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HB2185 • 2026

Election Laws

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

Elections
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Lamberth, Johnson
Last action
2026-04-09
Official status
Transmitted to Governor for his action.
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text do not provide details on how the new system will affect voter registration processes in Tennessee, leaving some uncertainty.

Voter Eligibility Changes

This bill allows Tennessee to create an electronic portal before January 1, 2028, that can access data from the SAVE program if the U.S. Department of Homeland Security makes this information available via a secure web service.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a new rule in Tennessee law about voter eligibility.
  • Allows the creation of an online system before January 1, 2028, to check voter information against federal data from the SAVE program if made available by DHS-USCIS.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Voters in Tennessee
  • The Coordinator of Elections in Tennessee

Terms To Know

SAVE
Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, a federal program that checks if someone is legally allowed to receive certain benefits.
DHS-USCIS
Department of Homeland Security - United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, the part of the U.S. government that handles immigration issues.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what will happen if the federal government does not make SAVE data available.
  • It is unclear how this new system will affect voter registration processes in Tennessee.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  2. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by Senate Speaker

  3. 2026-04-08 Tennessee General Assembly

    Signed by H. Speaker

  4. 2026-04-07 Tennessee General Assembly

    Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  5. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed Senate, Ayes 27, Nays 6

  6. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  7. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  8. 2026-04-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Companion House Bill substituted

  9. 2026-04-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/6/2026

  10. 2026-03-24 Tennessee General Assembly

    Recommended for passage, refer to Senate Calendar Committee

  11. 2026-03-23 Tennessee General Assembly

    Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  12. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  13. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  14. 2026-03-19 Tennessee General Assembly

    Passed H., Ayes 68, Nays 22, PNV 0

  15. 2026-03-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  16. 2026-03-17 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  17. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/19/2026

  18. 2026-03-16 Tennessee General Assembly

    Reset on cal. for 3/19/2026

  19. 2026-03-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 3/16/2026

  20. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 3/12/2026

  21. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

    Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  22. 2026-03-11 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  23. 2026-03-05 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  24. 2026-03-04 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  25. 2026-03-03 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  26. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  27. 2026-03-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Approved by Delayed Bills Committee

  28. 2026-02-25 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  29. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee

  30. 2026-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  31. 2026-02-04 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  32. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  33. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Refer to Senate Delayed Bills Committee

  34. 2026-02-02 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SENATE BILL 2204
By Johnson

HOUSE BILL 2185
By Lamberth
HB2185
012642
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-2-401, is amended by adding the
following as a new subsection (c) and redesignating the existing subsection (c) and any
subsequent subsection accordingly:
(c) The portal may also access data from the systematic alien verification for
entitlements (SAVE) program from the United States department of homeland security,
United States citizenship and immigration services (DHS-USCIS), if DHS-USCIS makes
such data available via a secure web service.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.