Tennessee Senate Bill SB0017

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 12/18/24
• Failed: 3/17/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8; Title 40 and Chapter 716 of the Public Acts of 2024, relative to law enforcement.

Summary

SB0017 would require Tennessee law enforcement agencies and officials to communicate with federal immigration authorities about the immigration status of any person who has been arrested for a criminal offense, including reporting knowledge that a particular person is not lawfully present in the United States and otherwise cooperating in the identification, apprehension, detention, or removal of such individuals. The bill expressly relies on federal immigration law authority and is framed as an amendment to existing Tennessee statutes governing law enforcement duties. The bill creates two express exceptions: it would not apply to school resource officers regarding the immigration status of students at their assigned local education agency, and it would not apply to people who have not been arrested, including victims and witnesses who come into contact with law enforcement. It also adds an enforcement mechanism, allowing the attorney general and reporter to seek a civil penalty of up to $1,000 against a law enforcement agency that fails to comply. The act would take effect July 1, 2025.

Impact

The bill would expand and clarify state law requiring cooperation between Tennessee law enforcement and federal immigration officials, and it would add a civil penalty for noncompliance. It would affect agencies and officials operating under Titles 5, 6, 7, 8, and 40 of the Tennessee Code Annotated, as well as the referenced 2024 public act, by imposing a mandatory immigration-status communication duty after arrests and by authorizing state enforcement through the attorney general and reporter.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests the bill faced opposition in committee, failing in the Senate Judiciary Committee by a 4-5 vote. No transcript is available, but the committee result indicates the measure was controversial rather than broadly supported. The bill’s subject matter suggests it was likely viewed favorably by supporters of stricter immigration enforcement and less favorably by those concerned about local law enforcement burdens, community trust, or the treatment of victims and witnesses.

Contention

The main point of contention is the bill’s mandate that all law enforcement agencies and officials communicate immigration status information to federal authorities after an arrest, along with the requirement to cooperate in identification, apprehension, detention, or removal. Opponents may object to the civil penalty and state enforcement mechanism, while supporters likely view those provisions as necessary to ensure compliance. The carve-outs for school resource officers and for victims and witnesses indicate an effort to limit the bill’s reach, but those exceptions may also reflect concerns about school settings and public safety interactions.