[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6363590,"mediaKeyId","2166099-ad200ab95961a9ec6d187671159a1e9e","parentId",2166099,"title","Tennessee Senate approves immigration enforcement bill after heated debate over penalties for local officials","audioSeconds",2219,"startMs",1257000,"endMs",3476000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166099-ad200ab95961a9ec6d187671159a1e9e&start=1257&end=3476","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166099-ad200ab95961a9ec6d187671159a1e9e/thumbnail_1257000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6363590/Tennessee/Tennessee-Senate-approves-immigration-enforcement-bill-after-heated-debate-over-penalties-for-local-officials","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363590-2f3a4033c24186087f4b832283a9761e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771074121&Signature=RNDzRwS818UEIwZ9YdkfYBGIhZAzm3XgplCo1ixmgnokHse8TulCbDkw5coiYdFRHXMA2lxCQM7~qt~PQUAlDfmfjKoD6xDxzz~mewQctLIoitsyLDIGSnu9YXhEzj6xjxJPjTWeyLe4Q57gDph8HwU39QgtjYxcaRI85Wgf~5EbV9lt~TIaPJiRM9ZVGYI429uO0nK-bBdBipHwdHetPQZonFyn6ZLUDQiAEAgGj-GLGATTU8yK~DPiPIr9OvpjEA9vI19lMfjykBzgaFA9mu83z27rVmNqPvdbBxzye4xvZfFGSRs7~vEu1iGIijJO~f3h5Xvc23HzRqllJgHvZQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","article","The Tennessee Senate on Thursday passed Senate Bill 6002 on third and final consideration by a 26-7 vote, approving a package the sponsor described as measures to expand state immigration enforcement and tighten identification for voting and state services.

Senator Watson said the bill ‘‘creates the Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division within the Department of Safety,’’ establishes an immigration-enforcement grant program to enable local participation in the federal 287(g) program, and contains changes to driver’s-license identification intended to tighten election integrity. ‘‘This bill further demonstrates that sanctuary cities and other sanctuary are not allowed in Tennessee and will not be tolerated in Tennessee,’’ Watson said on the floor.

Supporters said the bill fills perceived gaps left to the federal government and provides tools for state and local cooperation on immigration-related enforcement. Opponents warned it raises constitutional, civil-rights and public-safety risks and could chill cooperation between immigrant communities and local law enforcement.

Senator Yarbrough argued the measure ‘‘plainly and blatantly violates Tennessee’s constitution’’ and said criminalizing certain actions by local elected officials risks overriding long-standing legislative immunities. ‘‘We are threatening with criminal prosecution for a felony people that are doing this,’’ he said.

Senator Lamar offered an amendment to remove a provision that would make some actions by local elected officials a Class E felony; Lamar said the amendment ‘‘removes the provision to criminalize local elected officials’’ because he did not want elected officials penalized for actions taken in their official capacity. Chairman Watson moved to table that amendment; the Senate voted to table it.

Other amendments: a committee amendment clarifying that any funding for the 287(g) program ‘‘will be directed to the law enforcement agency rather than the local government’’ was adopted. A proposal to prohibit state or local enforcement of immigration laws within 1,000 feet of schools, places of worship, hospitals and other designated safe zones except in cases involving threats to public safety was offered by Senator Campbell and was tabled. Senator Oliver’s amendment to remove references to temporary driver’s licenses was rejected after a roll-call vote.

Debate included remarks about public-safety impacts and racial profiling. Senator Actberry said he feared the law could ‘‘put people who are American citizens who might meet a certain profile, in a position, where they can be discriminated against by this new law enforcement entity’’ and cited a prior raid where many Latino workers were arrested. Others, including Senator Massey and Senator Yeager, emphasized fentanyl trafficking and human-trafficking concerns and supported additional enforcement tools.

Senator Watson summarized the bill’s components on the floor, including the centralized division, a grant program to support participation in the older federal 287(g) program, and driver’s-license reforms intended to tighten election identification. Watson also said the 287(g) program has existed since the 1990s and argued state-level action was needed when federal efforts were insufficient.

The final vote on SB 6002 was 26 in favor, 7 opposed. The motion to reconsider was tabled without objection.

What changed on the floor

- Amendment 1 (Cabinet operations committee): adopted.
- Amendment 2 (Finance, Ways & Means): adopted; clarified that funding for 287(g) goes to the law enforcement agency, not the local government.
- Amendment 3 (filed by Senator Lamar): would have removed the Class E felony provision for local elected officials; the Senate tabled the amendment.
- Amendment 4 (filed by Senator Campbell): would have prohibited enforcement within 1,000 feet of schools, places of worship, hospitals and other safe zones except for public-safety threats; the amendment was tabled.
- Amendment 5 (filed by Senator Oliver): would have removed temporary-driver’s-license provisions; rejected by roll-call vote.

Votes at a glance on SB 6002: final passage 26-7; amendments adopted/rejected as noted above.

Context and next steps

Senator Watson and other proponents said the bill provides tools and state funding avenues to participate in federal programs and to enforce immigration-related laws more consistently across jurisdictions. Opponents said the law may prompt litigation on constitutional grounds, risk civil-rights harms, and impose costs and operational burdens on local governments and the courts. The bill’s implementation details—grant rules, the centralized division’s authorities, and any future memoranda of understanding with federal partners—will be set in subsequent administrative and intergovernmental steps specified in the law or in implementing rules.

Ending note

The debate on SB 6002 was among the lengthiest items in the session, reflecting sharp disagreement about state roles in immigration enforcement, the scope of penalties for officials and the potential practical effects on communities and local policing.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Floor Session\tJan 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Tennessee Senate on Thursday passed Senate Bill 6002 on third and final consideration by a 26-7 vote, approving a package the sponsor described as measures to expand state immigration enforcement and tighten identification for voting and state services.","taxTitle","Senate Floor Session, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Tennessee","taxId",79856,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6363586,"Senate approves disaster-relief, unemployment, transport and property-relief measures in special session",340,4058000,4398000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166099-ad200ab95961a9ec6d187671159a1e9e&start=4058&end=4398","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166099-ad200ab95961a9ec6d187671159a1e9e/thumbnail_4058000.jpg","/articles/6363586/Tennessee/Senate-approves-disaster-relief-unemployment-transport-and-property-relief-measures-in-special-session","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363586-08a990c87f1c8efa4ea8c078e99f8d43/orig.mp4?Expires=1771074121&Signature=b3fjJ~jbQ2UZOokX13G7~6xPrPYKkOzpnDZTbif7ibomdAEOwzOGUx5y1iUK6EkkRCmyhFFcXwMF8ZpvE8hS~O3VEo7U9aBKRtZbfwrfBBFsxXZjfID6k5axntfuxj98AT8IAKwOoSf9NwFcPU7nW7L57JOYHn2YfoLEmWMBedGbLNxtTod1HRA9JS8Zxfv~eeFIWqZkOBypU60S5KuFjbqgNF~P6MsEtKBlCjmZFR3ziVObU1VgALcR85usKXqMP-mjHbQ459RxIB9jXTaNxeAM9HsrXWRUpyPbLQK7JFocm~3eY-cNYZNQRj-tghFrXR-b25KxH7MHUmJMcix43Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Tennessee Senate passed four additional bills on third and final consideration during the special session.

Leader Johnson explained Senate Bill 6003 as a package to help local governments and households recover more quickly from natural disasters. ‘‘The first fund will be an interest payment fund, which will give us the ability to assist local governments in managing recovery-related loan cost by covering loan interest, at up to 5% per year for 3 years,’’ Johnson said. The sponsor described two funds proposed by the governor: an interest-payment fund (discussed on the floor at $110,000,000) and a governor’s response-and-recovery fund ($100,000,000). The Senate passed SB6003 by a 31-1 vote.

Senate Bill 6004, carried by the leader and described as coming from the Department of Labor and Workforce Development and Tennessee Emergency Management Agency, codifies existing practice that allows the commissioner to waive certain unemployment-insurance work-search requirements when the governor declares an emergency and clarifies TEMA authority for mutual-aid recovery efforts on locally owned public property. The Senate approved SB6004 unanimously, 33-0.

Senate Bill 6006, carried by Senator Hale and described as coming from the Tennessee Comptroller, establishes the Tennessee Transportation Financing Authority to act as a conduit issuer for tax-exempt private-activity bonds under the Tennessee Modernization Act. The sponsor said the authority allows developers to access federal tax-exempt financing without state debt, and the authority would be administratively attached to the comptroller/treasurer’s office. SB6006 passed 31-2.

Senate Bill 6007 provides targeted payments to owners of real or personal property damaged by Hurricane Helene between Sept. 26 and Sept. 30, 2024, in counties included in the relevant FEMA declaration. As amended on the floor, the bill requires payments equal to 130% of the property tax paid by each property owner for the 2024 tax year, limits payment to one owner per property, and requires the Comptroller of the Treasury to disperse payments (if multiple owners seek payment, the comptroller pays the owner who first submits complete documentation). The Senate passed SB6007 unanimously, 33-0.

Each bill received a constitutional majority and the motions to reconsider were tabled without objection.

Key votes

- SB6003 (disaster funds): passed 31-1. Sponsor description: interest-payment fund (up to 5% interest coverage for loans; sponsor referenced $110,000,000) and governor’s rapid-response fund ($100,000,000).
- SB6004 (unemployment waivers / TEMA clarifications): passed 33-0. Codifies governor/commissioner waivers of certain UI requirements during declared emergencies and clarifies mutual-aid authority for TEMA.
- SB6006 (Transportation Financing Authority): passed 31-2. Establishes conduit issuer for private-activity bonds under the Transportation Modernization Act; administrative attachment to the comptroller/treasurer’s office; no state debt if developer defaults.
- SB6007 (property relief for Hurricane Helene): passed 33-0. Payment equal to 130% of 2024 property tax paid; one payment per property owner; payments to be dispersed by the Comptroller for properties covered by FEMA declaration.

What to watch next

- SB6003 and SB6007 implement funding and payment authorities that will require comptroller and appropriations follow-up for actual disbursement timing and rules.
- SB6006’s conduit issuer will require administrative set-up and applications from developers; sponsors said it is intended to keep project debt off the state’s books.

The calendar concluded after these votes; senators adjourned until 11 a.m. the following day to continue unfinished business.","During the special session the Tennessee Senate passed four administration or committee bills: SB6003 (disaster response funds) 31-1; SB6004 (disaster unemployment and TEMA clarification) 33-0; SB6006 (Transportation Financing Authority) 31-2; SB6007 (property payments after Hurricane Helene) 33-0.","actionData","errors"]

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Tennessee Senate approves immigration enforcement bill after heated debate over penalties for local officials

Senate approves disaster-relief, unemployment, transport and property-relief measures in special session