Tennessee senators move amended English-only driver’s license testing

Tennessee lawmakers are pushing a watered-down version of an English-only driver’s license testing bill as part of their 2026 immigration package formulated with the White House.

Senate Bill 1889 sponsored by Republican Sen. Brent Taylor of Shelby County passed the Transportation Committee Wednesday with an amendment that allows applicants to take the initial test in their native language, then drive for three years on an unrestricted license before they would have to take the test in English for renewal. Taylor said the bill is designed, in part, to make sure people can read road signs for public safety.

The measure, which also requires proof of residency in the state, is part of Republican lawmakers’ slate of anti-immigration bills written in cooperation with White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller.

Rick Colbert of Williamson County opposed the bill in committee testimony, saying his wife’s family would have faced hardship because they didn’t speak English when they came to America decades ago from Puerto Rico.

“It’s irrelevant on the issue of illegal immigration,” Colbert said, adding that a rationale for safety doesn’t hold up either. Colbert pointed out that 21% of the population is functionally illiterate and unable to read road signs in English and would be just as dangerous on roads.

Sumner County resident Rachel Jackson described the bill as “hateful” and told lawmakers the bill would make roads less safe by increasing the number of unlicensed drivers.

Other critics, including the advocacy group Our State, Our Languages, also raised questions about the impact such a bill could have on the state’s economy if employers lose “dependable” workers.

Taylor responded by asking if their organization was founded by the American Muslim Advisory Council and groups such as the Elmahaba Center and Ethiopian Community Association of Nashville.

Despite that, Republican Sen. Bill Powers of Clarksville said he was glad Taylor amended the bill to allow a three-year license. He pointed out Montgomery County’s industrial park has companies from Korea, Germany, Italy and Japan.

“The dichotomy is … we spent all this money to get these companies to show up for Montgomery County, yet we were gonna restrict them,” Powers said.

Republican Sen. Richard Briggs also raised concerns about the bill by noting that the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have some of the brightest people in the world earning degrees or working at the research facility yet their families could run into problems if spouses or parents who travel with them don’t speak English.

Taylor answered by saying if people want to “embrace” the American way of life, “the best way to do that is to learn English.” He added later that the bill is designed to handle undocumented immigrants crossing the border. 

Amid those questions, the measure passed 7-1 with Democratic Sen. Heidi Campbell the only opposition. She said she received a letter from the Japanese consulate raising concerns about the bill.

“I think there’s a fear factor to this,” she said.

The House version of the bill sponsored by Republican Rep. Kip Capley passed the finance subcommittee Tuesday.