State Government

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details about enforcement mechanisms or penalties for non-compliance, leaving these aspects uncertain.

Act Declaring International Policymaking Organizations Have No Authority in Tennessee

This bill declares that international organizations like the World Health Organization and United Nations have no authority within Tennessee or its local governments.

What This Bill Does

• Defines an 'international policymaking organization' as a non-governmental group that issues model policies, guidelines, laws, or rules for public policy.
• States that these organizations cannot make decisions or enforce rules in Tennessee or any of its local areas.
• Prohibits state and local government entities from adopting or enforcing policies or rules made by international policymaking organizations unless allowed by state law.
• Says that federal laws or rules based on recommendations from international policymaking organizations do not apply within Tennessee.

Who It Names or Affects

• Tennessee's state and local governments
• Educational institutions in Tennessee

Terms To Know

International Policymaking Organization

A non-governmental group that issues model policies, guidelines, laws, or rules for public policy.

Governmental Entity

Any branch of state government, department, agency, commission, instrumentality, official acting under state law, or local political subdivision including educational institutions.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if a federal law based on an international organization's recommendation is already in place.
• It is unclear how this act will be enforced and what consequences there might be for non-compliance by governmental entities.

Official Summary Text

This bill clarifies tha
t an
international policymaking organization has no jurisdiction or authority within this state or a political subdivision of this state.
As used in this bill, an
"
i
nternational policymaking organization"
means
a non-governmental entity that issues model
policies or guidelines or proposed laws or rules that pertain to a particular subject matter or range of subject matter areas of public policy and which may be adopted in whole or in part by an instrument of government as the policy of that governing body
.
The term specifically includes,
but is not limited to, the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the World Economic Forum.

This bill prohibits a
governmental entity
from
adopt
ing
, enact
ing
, implement
ing
, enforc
ing
, or attempt
ing
to enforce
a policy or guideline of, or a proposed law or rule issued by, an international policymaking organization unless the governmental entity is authorized to do so by state law.
As used in this bill, a "governmental entity" means
any branch, department, agen
cy, commission or instrumentality of state government, any official or other person acting under color of state law, or any political subdivision of this state
and includes an educational institution.

This bill further clarifies that a
law passed by the
United States congress or a rule promulgated by a political subdivision of the federal government of the United States that is based in whole or in part on a policy or guideline of, or a proposed law or rule issued by, an international policymaking organi
z
ation has no jurisdiction or authority within this state or a political subdivision of this state, and a person acting on behalf of a governmental entity shall not enforce or attempt to enforce such law or rule within this state.

Current Bill Text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 21
By Pody

SB0021
000048
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 1;
Title 3; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title
13; Title 14; Title 43; Title 45; Title 49; Title 50;
Title 53; Title 59; Title 60; Title 62; Title 63; Title
65; Title 66; Title 68; Title 69 and Title 70, relative
to state sovereignty.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 1, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) As used in this section:
(1) "Educational institution" means:
(A) A public school operated by an LEA or this state, or pursuant
to a charter agreement, that provides education to students in the twelfth
grade or below; or
(B) A public postsecondary institution that provides education to
students at a level above the twelfth grade;
(2) "Governmental entity":
(A) Means any branch, department, agency, commission or
instrumentality of state government, any official or other person acting
under color of state law, or any political subdivision of this state; and
(B) Includes an educational institution; and
(3) "International policymaking organization":
(A) Means a non-governmental entity that issues model policies
or guidelines or proposed laws or rules that pertain to a particular subject
matter or range of subject matter areas of public policy and which may be

- 2 - 000048

adopted in whole or in part by an instrument of government as the policy
of that governing body; and
(B) Includes, but is not limited to, the World Health Organization,
the United Nations, and the World Economic Forum.
(b)
(1) An international policymaking organization has no jurisdiction or
authority within this state or a political subdivision of this state.
(2) A law passed by the United States congress or a rule promulgated by
a political subdivision of the federal government of the United States that is
based in whole or in part on a policy or guideline of, or a proposed law or rule
issued by, an international policymaking organization has no jurisdiction or
authority within this state or a political subdivision of this state, and a person
acting on behalf of a governmental entity shall not enforce or attempt to enforce
such law or rule within this state.
(3) A governmental entity shall not adopt, enact, implement, enforce, or
attempt to enforce a policy or guideline of, or a proposed law or rule issued by,
an international policymaking organization unless the governmental entity is
authorized to do so by state law.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.