Image Credit: TN General Assembly
Tennessee Conservative News Staff –
On Wednesday, March 11th, the Tennessee Senate Transportation and Safety Committee approved bills aimed at restricting the licenses of commercial and private drivers to those who can read and speak English sufficiently.
The committee voted to approve Senate Bill 1748 (SB1748) with amendments, sponsored by Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma-District 16) with 8 Republican votes in favor and 1 Democrat vote against.
As introduced, SB1748 requires an enforcement officer to issue an out-of-service order to a driver issued a commercial driver license if the officer determines during a safety inspection that the driver is unable to read and speak the English language in violation of federal requirements for commercial driver license holders. The legislation also applies penalties against employers of such drivers.
SB1748 will now move forward to the Senate Calendar Committee for scheduling to be heard on the Senate floor.
This tool can be used to find the contact information of your Tennessee State Senator.
The House version of the bill (HB1817) passed the House Transportation Subcommittee 7-1 on March 10th and has been referred to the full House Transportation Committee for a scheduled hearing date of March 17th.
Contact information for members of the House Transportation Committee can be at the end of this article.
More information HERE.
The Senate Transportation and Safety Committee also approved Senate Bill 1889 (SB1889) with amendments, sponsored by Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis-District 31) with 7 Republican votes in favor, 1 Democrat vote against and 1 Republican (Senator Richard Briggs) counted as “present not voting”.
As introduced, SB1889, requires an applicant for a driver license who cannot speak and read English sufficiently to be issued a restricted license for one year and to re-take the written driver license examination in English to be issued a driver license thereafter. The bill also requires evidence of U.S. citizenship, lawful permanent residence, or temporary lawful resident status prior to registering vehicles.
SB1889 now moves to the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee since it does have a fiscal note.
Contact information for members of the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee can be found at the end of this article.
The House version (HB1708) passed the full House Transportation Committee 16-3 on March 10th and has been referred to the House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee for a scheduled hearing date of March 18th.
More information HERE.
Contact information for members of the House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee can be found below.
House Transportation Committee – HB1817 to be heard March 17
HB1817 seeks to keep drivers with commercial licenses off the roads if unable to read and speak the English language sufficiently.
Rep.dan.howell@capitol.tn.gov; rep.ed.butler@capitol.tn.gov; rep.rebecca.alexander@capitol.tn.gov; rep.fred.atchley@capitol.tn.gov; rep.aftyn.behn@capitol.tn.gov; rep.elaine.davis@capitol.tn.gov; rep.ronnie.glynn@capitol.tn.gov; rep.torrey.harris@capitol.tn.gov; rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov; rep.aron.maberry@capitol.tn.gov; rep.pat.marsh@capitol.tn.gov; rep.jake.mccalmon@capitol.tn.gov; rep.justin.pearson@capitol.tn.gov; rep.michele.reneau@capitol.tn.gov; Rep.tim.rudd@capitol.tn.gov; rep.lowell.russell@capitol.tn.gov; rep.paul.sherrell@capitol.tn.gov; rep.robert.stevens@capitol.tn.gov; rep.chris.todd@capitol.tn.gov; rep.joe.towns@capitol.tn.gov; rep.greg.vital@capitol.tn.gov; rep.dave.wright@capitol.tn.gov
Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee – SB1889 hearing date TBD
SB1889 increases restrictions/requirements for applicants seeking a Tennessee driver’s license who do not sufficiently read/speak English.
Sen.bo.watson@capitol.tn.gov; sen.john.stevens@capitol.tn.gov; sen.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov; sen.ferrell.haile@capitol.tn.gov; sen.jack.johnson@capitol.tn.gov; sen.london.lamar@capitol.tn.gov; sen.bill.powers@capitol.tn.gov; sen.paul.rose@capitol.tn.gov; sen.page.walley@capitol.tn.gov; sen.ken.yager@capitol.tn.gov; sen.jeff.yarbro@capitol.tn.gov
House Finance, Ways & Means Subcommittee – HB1708 to be heard March 18
HB1708 increases restrictions/requirements for applicants seeking a Tennessee driver’s license who do not sufficiently read/speak English.
Rep.ryan.williams@capitol.tn.gov; rep.kip.capley@capitol.tn.gov; rep.jesse.chism@capitol.tn.gov; rep.mark.cochran@capitol.tn.gov; rep.john.crawford@capitol.tn.gov; rep.ron.gant@capitol.tn.gov; rep.john.gillespie@capitol.tn.gov; rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov; rep.tim.hicks@capitol.tn.gov; rep.antonio.parkinson@capitol.tn.gov; rep.lee.reeves@capitol.tn.gov; rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov; rep.jason.zachary@capitol.tn.gov
One Response
Thanx, emailed committees, “Please vote YES!!”