Tennessee 114th General Assembly Status: Enacted 59 R cosponsors

HB 1708 — AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 55, Chapter 4; Title 55, Chapter 50 and Title 65, Chapter 15, relative to motor vehicles.

Last action — Effective date(s) 05/07/2026, 01/01/2027

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. ✓
    Passed House
  4. ✓
    Passed Senate
  5. ✓
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 15, 2026. Enacted.

Signed by Governor Bill Lee (Republican) on April 30, 2026.

Odds of enactment

High chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a high chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Likely to advance 66% · moderate confidence

  • Enacted

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 63 sponsors

    1 primary, 62 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (59 R).

  • Mixed recorded votes

    4 passed, 1 failed in recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

The bill adds language comprehension requirements for certain driver licenses and vehicle registrations.

This bill requires specific documentation of U.S. citizenship or lawful presence for certain driver licenses and vehicle registrations. It also includes language comprehension requirements for some driver licenses.

Summary

Motor Vehicles - As enacted, adds certain language comprehension requirements for certain driver licenses; requires documentation as a U.S. citizen or lawfully permitted in the U.S. for certain vehicle registrations; requires documentation as a U.S. citizen for certain driving and related licenses. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 4; Title 55, Chapter 50 and Title 65, Chapter 15. Conference Committee ReportsMajority Report # 1 for HB1708 / SB1889

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Filed for introduction

  2. Introduced, Passed on First Consideration

  3. Passed on Second Consideration, refer to Senate Transportation and Safety Committee

  4. Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 2/18/2026

  5. Action deferred in Senate Transportation and Safety Committee to 2/25/2026

  6. Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 2/25/2026

  7. Action deferred in Senate Transportation and Safety Committee to 3/4/2026

  8. Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/4/2026

  9. Action deferred in Senate Transportation and Safety Committee to 3/11/2026

  10. Placed on Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/11/2026

  11. Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee Ayes 7, Nays 1 PNV 1

  12. Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/20/2026

  13. Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026

  14. Placed on Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee calendar for 4/21/2026

  15. Recommended for passage with amendment/s, refer to Senate Calendar Committee Ayes 9, Nays 2 PNV 0

  16. Placed on Senate Regular Calendar for 4/22/2026

  17. Companion House Bill substituted

  18. Sponsor(s) Added.

  19. Comp. became Pub. Ch. 954

  20. Filed for introduction

  21. Intro., P1C.

  22. Sponsor(s) Added.

  23. P2C, ref. to Transportation Committee

  24. Assigned to s/c Transportation Subcommittee

  25. Placed on s/c cal Transportation Subcommittee for 2/17/2026

  26. Rec for pass if am by s/c ref. to Transportation Committee

  27. Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 3/3/2026

  28. Action def. in Transportation Committee to 3/10/2026

  29. Sponsor(s) Added.

  30. Placed on cal. Transportation Committee for 3/10/2026

  31. Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  32. Assigned to s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee

  33. Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/18/2026

  34. Action Def. in s/c Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee to the Drivers License Calendar

  35. Placed on s/c cal Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 4/14/2026

  36. Rec. for pass by s/c ref. to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee

  37. Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee for 4/15/2026

  38. Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee

  39. Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee for 4/16/2026

  40. H. Placed on Regular Calendar for 4/20/2026

  41. H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA0641)

  42. Failed to adopt am (Amendment 2 - HA1206), Ayes 19, Nays 73, PNV 0

  43. Failed to adopt am (Amendment 3 - HA1221), Ayes 14, Nays 79, PNV 0

  44. H. adopted am. (Amendment 4 - HA1238)

  45. Sponsor(s) Added.

  46. Passed H., as am., Ayes 78, Nays 17, PNV 0

  47. Engrossed; ready for transmission to Sen.

  48. Received from House, Passed on First Consideration

  49. Senate substituted House Bill for companion Senate Bill.

  50. Senate adopted Amendment (Amendment 2 - SA1090)

  51. Amendment withdrawn. (Amendment 1 - SA0651)

  52. Passed Senate as amended, Ayes 26, Nays 5

  53. H. Placed on Message Calendar #2 for 4/22/26

  54. H. nonconcurred in S. am. no. 2

  55. Placed on Senate Message Calendar 2 for 4/23/2026

  56. Senate refused to recede from amendment

  57. H. Placed on Message Calendar 2 for 4/23/2026

  58. H. refused to recede from its non-concurrence in SA 2

  59. Conf. comm. appointed. (Reps. Capley, Zachary, Crawford, Chism)

  60. Conference Committee appointed (Taylor, Massey, Oliver)

  61. Conf. comm. report adopted, Ayes 69, Nays 17 PNV 1

  62. Conference Committee report adopted, Ayes 26, Nays 5

  63. Enrolled; ready for sig. of H. Speaker.

  64. Signed by H. Speaker

  65. Signed by Senate Speaker

  66. Transmitted to Governor for his action.

  67. Signed by Governor.

  68. Pub. Ch. 954

  69. Effective date(s) 05/07/2026, 01/01/2027

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 62 co-sponsors · 70 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (62)

Not signed on (70)

70 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Subjects

immigration transportation
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Frequently asked questions

What does HB 1708 do?
Motor Vehicles - As enacted, adds certain language comprehension requirements for certain driver licenses; requires documentation as a U.S. citizen or lawfully permitted in the U.S. for certain vehicle registrations; requires documentation as a U.S. citizen for certain driving and related licenses. - Amends TCA Title 55, Chapter 4; Title 55, Chapter 50 and Title 65, Chapter 15. Conference Committee ReportsMajority Report # 1 for HB1708 / SB1889
Who sponsors HB 1708?
HB 1708 is sponsored by Hicks G, Jones R, Hicks T, Martin B, Capley, Kip (Republican), Sexton, Cameron (Republican), Faison, Jeremy (Republican), Zachary, Jason (Republican), Lamberth, William (Republican), Marsh, Pat (Republican), Garrett, Johnny (Republican), Cochran, Mark (Republican), Bulso, Gino (Republican), Lafferty, Justin (Republican), White, Mark (Republican), Howell, Dan (Republican), Todd, Chris (Republican), Vaughan, Kevin (Republican), Moody, Debra (Republican), Powers, Dennis (Republican), Kumar, Sabi 'Doc' (Republican), Grills, Rusty (Republican), Rudd, Tim (Republican), Scarbrough, Rick (Republican), Davis, Elaine (Republican), Russell, Lowell (Republican), Littleton, Mary (Republican), Hawk, David B. (Republican), Cepicky, Scott (Republican), Hale, Michael (Republican), Carringer, Michele (Republican), Reeves, Lee (Republican), Doggett, Clay (Republican), Leatherwood, Tom (Republican), Darby, Tandy (Republican), McCalmon, Jake (Republican), Moon, Jerome (Republican), Alexander, Rebecca K. (Republican), Boyd, Clark (Republican), Sherrell, Paul (Republican), Maberry, Aron (Republican), Slater, William (Republican), Crawford, John (Republican), Wright, Dave (Republican), Hill, Timothy (Republican), Lankford, Michael (Republican), Eldridge, Rick (Republican), Gant, Ron M. (Republican), Bricken, Rush (Republican), Helton-Haynes, Esther (Republican), Butler, Ed (Republican), Rudder, Iris (Republican), Warner, Todd (Republican), Atchley, Fred (Republican), Stinnett, Tom (Republican), Keisling, Kelly (Republican), Raper, Kevin D. (Republican), Stevens, Robert (Republican), Vital, Greg (Republican), Reneau, Michele (Republican), Haston, Kirk (Republican), Terry, Bryan (Republican), and Fritts, Monty (Republican).
What is the current status of HB 1708?
This bill has been enacted into law. Introduced January 15, 2026. Enacted.
Where can I track HB 1708?
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