Tennessee Senate Bill SB1219

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/6/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Chapter __ of the Public Acts of 2025 (1st Ex. Sess. – SB 6002 / HB 6001); and Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 49, relative to education.

Summary

SB1219 would add a new provision to Tennessee’s education code requiring immediate notice when an immigration officer is present on the grounds of a public school or public charter school. The notice must be given by the director of schools for an LEA or the director of the public charter school to all enrolled students, parents, educators, employees, and contractors. The bill defines “immigration officer” broadly to include state, local, and federal officers enforcing immigration law, including ICE and CBP. The bill also states that this notification requirement, and any related policy adopted by a local board of education or charter school governing body to carry it out, is not a “sanctuary policy.” It further provides that school officials and employees would not be subject to penalties under Tennessee’s sanctuary-policy laws for adopting or enforcing the notification policy. The measure would take effect immediately upon becoming law.

Impact

SB1219 would amend Title 49 of the Tennessee Code, affecting public school districts and public charter schools by imposing a mandatory notification duty when immigration enforcement officers are on school grounds. It would interact with existing state laws in Titles 4 and 7 governing sanctuary policies by carving out this school-notification practice from those penalties, thereby limiting potential liability for school officials who comply with the bill. The practical effect would be to require LEAs and charter schools to establish procedures for rapid communication to school communities about immigration officer presence.

Sentiment

Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be framed as a school-notification and transparency bill rather than a broad immigration enforcement measure. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, amendments, or partisan division in the available record. The statutory language suggests the sponsor sought to reassure school officials that compliance would not be treated as a sanctuary-policy violation.

Contention

The main point of contention likely concerns immigration enforcement on school grounds and whether mandatory notification could affect student safety, school operations, or the relationship between schools and immigrant families. Supporters would likely emphasize transparency and advance notice to families and staff, while critics may argue that the bill could chill school attendance or cooperation with schools in immigrant communities by signaling the presence of immigration authorities. Another likely issue is the bill’s interaction with Tennessee’s sanctuary-policy laws, since it expressly seeks to avoid penalties that might otherwise apply.