Tennessee Senate Bill SB1086

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/5/25
• Chaptered: 4/28/25
• Passed: 4/28/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 50, relative to driver licenses issued to persons without lawful presence.

Summary

SB1086 amends Tennessee’s driver licensing laws to address out-of-state driver licenses issued exclusively to people without lawful presence in the United States. The bill directs the Department of Safety to publish, by December 1, 2025, a list of out-of-state license classes that Tennessee will treat as invalid because they are issued only to illegal aliens and are visually distinguishable from licenses issued to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, or people with temporary lawful status. The bill also makes it an offense to operate a motor vehicle in Tennessee using one of those invalid licenses, classifying the violation as a Class B misdemeanor. In addition, it updates Tennessee’s nonresident driving provisions so that out-of-state licenses remain recognized only if they are not invalid under the new rule. The remaining provisions take effect January 1, 2026, while the website-list requirement takes effect immediately upon enactment.

Impact

The bill changes Title 55, Chapter 50 of the Tennessee Code by creating a new section defining certain out-of-state driver licenses as invalid in Tennessee and by tying criminal liability to driving with such a license. It also amends existing nonresident-license recognition language to exclude licenses invalidated under the new section. The Department of Safety will have a new administrative duty to identify and maintain a public list of affected license classes, and drivers who use those licenses in Tennessee may face misdemeanor prosecution.

Sentiment

The available voting history suggests the bill had support in committee, passing the Transportation and Safety Committee 7-2 and being recommended for passage. The bill’s framing indicates a policy focus on immigration enforcement and driver licensing standards, which likely appealed to supporters concerned with limiting recognition of licenses issued to people without lawful presence. No committee transcript is available, so the record does not show detailed debate, but the committee vote suggests the measure was generally favorable among a majority of members.

Contention

The main point of contention is the bill’s treatment of driver licenses issued by other states to undocumented immigrants, which opponents may view as discriminatory or as an overreach into how other states regulate driving privileges. Supporters likely argue that Tennessee should not recognize licenses that are specifically issued to people without lawful presence and are distinguishable from standard licenses. The 7-2 committee vote indicates some disagreement, but the available materials do not identify the specific objections raised by the dissenting members.