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PUBLIC CHAPTER NO. 1106
SENATE BILL NO. 1915
By Jackson, Rose, Bailey, Bowling, Hensley, Stevens, Taylor, Watson, White, Crowe,
Gardenhire, Hatcher
Substituted for: House Bill No. 1710
By Powers; Mr. Speaker Sexton; Faison, Zachary, Lamberth, Marsh, Garrett, Cochran, Bulso,
Lafferty, White, Howell, Todd, Gary Hicks, Vaughan, Farmer, Moody, Kumar, Grills, Rudd,
Scarbrough, Davis, Russell, Littleton, Hawk, Cepicky, Hale, Garringer, Reeves, Doggett,
Leatherwood, Fritts, Darby, McCalmon, Greg Martin, Moon, Alexander, Boyd, Maberry, Sherrell,
Renea Jones, Slater, Tim Hicks, Crawford, Wright, Lankford, Eldridge, Gant, Hill, Brock Martin,
Bricken, Helton-Haynes, Rudder, Butler, Warner, Atchley, Stinnett, Keisling, Raper, Stevens,
Reneau, Terry, Reedy, Barrett, Capley
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 1 and Title 4, Chapter 58, relative to
public benefits.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-102, is amended by adding the
following as a new subdivision:
() "Local governmental entity" means a county, including a county with a metropolitan
or charter form of government, and an incorporated city or town;
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-102(7), is amended by deleting
subdivision (B) and substituting:
(B) Does not include:
(i) A benefit listed in 8 U.S.C. § 1621 (b); or
(ii) A privilege to practice a profession or engage in an occupation in this state
granted by a licensee's participation in an interstate portability licensure compact as
long as the licensing agency in this state is not required to take any action to grant or
allow the licensee to practice on this privilege.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-103(a)(1 }, is amended by deleting
the subdivision and substituting:
(1) Except where prohibited by federal law, every state governmental entity, local
governmental entity, and local health department shall verify, in the manner provided in this
chapter, that each applicant who is eighteen (18) years of age or older and applies for a
federal, state, or local public benefit from the state governmental entity, local governmental
entity, or local health department is a United States citizen or lawfully present in the United
States pursuant to the federal Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. § 1101 et seq.).
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-103(b)(1}, is amended by deleting
the language "every state governmental entity or local health department" and substituting instead
"every state governmental entity, local governmental entity, or local health department".
SECTION 5. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-103(b), is amended by adding the
following as a new subdivision:
SB 1915
(3) With respect to a local governmental entity, subdivision (b)(1) must be
implemented upon the local governmental entity's first reprinting of applicable forms or
updating of the electronic or automated phone systems, described in subdivision (b)(1), after
July 1, 2026.
SECTION 6. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-103(c), is amended by deleting the
language "entity or local health department" and substituting instead "state governmental entity,
local governmental entity, or local health department".
SECTION 7. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-103(d), is amended by deleting the
language "entity or local health department" wherever it appears and substituting instead "state
governmental entity, local governmental entity, or local health department".
SECTION 8. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-103, is amended by deleting
subsections (e) and (f) and substituting instead:
(e) Each state governmental entity, local governmental entity, or local health
department shall maintain a copy of all documentation submitted by an applicant for
verification in a manner consistent with the state governmental entity's, local governmental
entity's, or local health department's rules, regulations, or policies governing storage or
preservation of such documentation.
(f)(1) Any document submitted pursuant to subsection (c) or (d) is presumed to be
proof of an individual's eligibility under this chapter until a final verification is received
by the state governmental entity, local governmental entity, or local health
department, and a state governmental entity, local governmental entity, or local
health department shall not delay the distribution of any federal, state, or local benefit
based solely on the pendency of final verification.
(2) Upon receipt of a final verification that indicates that the applicant is not a
United States citizen or qualified alien, the state governmental entity, local
governmental entity, or local health department shall terminate any recurring benefit,
and shall pursue any action applicable against the applicant pursuant to § 4-58-104
or§ 4-58-105.
SECTION 9. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-104, is amended by deleting
subsections (b)-(d) and substituting instead:
(b}' Any natural person who conspires to defraud a state governmental entity, local
governmental entity, or any local health department by securing a false claim allowed or paid
to another person in violation of this chapter is liable.under§ 4-18-103(a)(3).
(c) A state governmental entity, local governmental entity, or local health department
shall file with the attorney general and reporter of this state a complaint alleging a violation of
subsection (a) or (b), as applicable.
(d) Any moneys collected pursuant to this section must be deposited with and utilized
by the applicable state governmental entity, local governmental entity, or local health
department that filed a complaint pursuant to subsection (c). The applicable state
governmental entity, local governmental entity, or local health department shall establish a
fund for the deposit of such moneys, and shall use such moneys for the sole purpose of
enforcing this chapter. Any interest accruing on investments and deposits of· the fund must
be credited to such fund, must not revert to any general fund, and must be carried forward
into each subsequent fiscal year.
$E~CnQ~ 10. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-105, is amended by deleting the
language "state •governmental entity or local health department" and substituting instead "state
governmental entity, local governmental entity, or local health department".
SECTION 11. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-106(a), is amended by deleting the
language "state governmental entity or local health department" and substituting instead "state
governmental entity, local governmental entity, or local ,healt~ department".
SECTION 12. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-106(b), is amended by deleting the
subsection.
SECTION 13. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-107, is amended by deleting the
language "state governmental entity or local health department" and substituting instead "state
governmental eritity, focal governmental entity, or local health department".
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SB 1915
SECTION 14. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 4-58-109, is amended by deleting the
language "state governmental entity or local health department" and substituting instead "state
governmental entity, local governmental entity, or local health department".
SECTION 15. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 58, is amended by adding the
following as new sections:
4-58-111.
(a) The attorney general and reporter may investigate each credible allegation or
complaint that a local governmental entity or local health department is in violation of this
chapter.
(b) If the attorney general and reporter concludes that a local governmental entity or
local health department has violated this part, then the attorney general and reporter may
proceed to enforce compliance with this part by taking action in accordance with § 4-1-429 to
withhold all funds of this state allocated to the local governmental entity or local health
department via grant, contract, or statute, including, but not limited to, state-shared taxes.
4-58-112.
(a) Except as prohibited by federal law, each state governmental entity, local
governmental entity, and local health department shall report individuals and all identifying
information about such individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States pursuant
to the federal Immigration and Nationality Act and who receive federal, state, or local public
benefits from the state governmental entity, local governmental entity, or local health
department to the centralized immigration enforcement division within the department of
safety, created in§ 4-3-2014, unless the state governmental entity, local governmental entity,
or local health department is required to report such individuals pursuant to 7 CFR §
273.4(b)(1 ).
(b)(1) It is an offense for an employee or official to intentionally fail to report an
individual who the employee or official knows is not lawfully present in the United
States pursuant to the federal Immigration and Nationality Act as required pursuant to
subsection (a).
(2) A violation of subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor.
4-58-113.
The department of children's services is exempt from providing any information under
this chapter that would directly or indirectly identify a child or family receiving services from
the department.
SECTION 16. For purposes of carrying out administrative duties necessary to effectuate this
act, this act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes,
this act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.
3
SENATE BILL NO. 1915
PASSED: April 22, 2026
RANDY l\lcNALLY
SPEAKER OF THE'sENA TE
CAMERON SEXTON, SPEAKER
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
APPROVED this :;:J..vvJ. day of (V\/ 2026
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BILL LEE, GOVERNOREvery fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.