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SB0658 • 2026

Election Laws

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

Elections
Active

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

Sponsor
Hensley, Doggett
Last action
2025-02-12
Official status
Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate State and Local Government Committee
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Voter ID Requirements

This bill changes Tennessee election laws by requiring voters to show valid and unexpired identification when voting or registering to vote.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires voters to have a valid, unexpired form of identification to cast their ballot in an election.
  • Updates Tennessee's voter identification laws by adding new sections to the state code.
  • Prohibits county election commissions from registering someone who does not provide proof of having a valid, unexpired ID at the time they apply.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Voters in Tennessee
  • County election commissions responsible for registering voters

Terms To Know

Valid and unexpired ID
A form of identification that is current and has not expired, such as a driver's license or passport.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if someone tries to vote without the required ID.
  • This bill is still under consideration and has not yet become law.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-09 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  2. 2025-03-06 Tennessee General Assembly

    Sponsor(s) Added.

  3. 2025-02-18 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  4. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

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

  5. 2025-02-12 Tennessee General Assembly

    Placed on s/c cal Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee for 2/18/2025

  6. 2025-02-10 Tennessee General Assembly

    Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  7. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    Assigned to s/c Elections & Campaign Finance Subcommittee

  8. 2025-02-05 Tennessee General Assembly

    P2C, ref. to State & Local Government Committee

  9. 2025-02-03 Tennessee General Assembly

    Intro., P1C.

  10. 2025-01-31 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

  11. 2025-01-29 Tennessee General Assembly

    Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
HOUSE BILL 574
By Doggett

SENATE BILL 658
By Hensley

SB0658
001326
- 1 -

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

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 2-7-112, is amended by designating
subsection (c) as subdivision (c)(1) and adding the following new subdivision (c)(2):
(2) "Evidence of identification," as described in subdivision (c)(1), does not
include a license, identification card, passport, or other document that has expired or
that is invalid for any reason.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 2, Chapter 2, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
Notwithstanding a law to the contrary, a county election commission shall not
register a person to vote unless the applicant has provided proof satisfactory to the
respective commission that the person holds valid, unexpired evidence of identification
as described in § 2-7-112(c)(1) at the time of processing the applicant's application to
register.
SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.