Safety, Dept. of

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary and text provide details about the fiscal impact but do not specify what happens if the current contract for software updates is fully used up.

Free Photo ID Licenses for Those Without Government IDs

This bill requires the Tennessee Department of Safety to provide free photo identification licenses to people who do not have a valid government-issued photo ID and allows them to get this license at any location where driver's licenses or photo IDs are issued.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the Department of Safety to give out free photo identification licenses to people without a valid government photo ID if they sign an affidavit stating that they do not have one.
• Allows these free photo ID licenses to be given at all locations that issue driver’s licenses and other photo IDs.
• Permits individuals with non-photo-bearing driver's licenses to get a photo ID license if they do not have another form of government-issued photo identification.

Who It Names or Affects

• People who need a free photo identification license because they don’t have one from the government and sign an affidavit stating this.
• The Tennessee Department of Safety, which will provide these free IDs at all issuing locations.

Terms To Know

Affidavit

A written statement that someone signs to say it is true and they are willing to be punished if they lie about it.

Photo Identification License

An official card or document with a person’s photo on it, used to prove who they are.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify what happens if the current contract for updating software is fully used up.
• There might be extra costs of $890,000 in fiscal years 2025-26 if more updates are needed beyond what the existing contract covers.

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

HOUSE BILL 788
By Freeman

SENATE BILL 1136
By Oliver

SB1136
002902
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5;
Title 8 and Title 55, Chapter 50, Part 3, relative to
photo identification licenses.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 55-50-336(g), is amended by
deleting the subsection and substituting:
(1) Notwithstanding § 55-50-323, a photo identification license issued pursuant
to this section must be provided free of charge to a person if the person signs an
affidavit stating the person does not have a valid government-issued photo identification.
Such free photo identification licenses must be made available at each location in this
state where the department issues a driver license or photo identification license.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (e), a photo identification license may be issued
to a person who meets the criteria of subdivision (g)(1) even if the person has a valid
non-photo-bearing driver license.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it.