top of page
Search

A Week of Wins, Bill Updates, and Community Action | TN Legislative Update 2/27/2026

  • Writer: AMAC
    AMAC
  • 2 days ago
  • 6 min read


This week has seen some major wins to the bills AMAC has been tracking as well as important community action that has taken place. On Monday, February 23rd, and Thursday, February 26th, AMAC hosted two phone banking sessions with over 30 community members calling our state legislators to VOTE NO on HB1446, the "Recognizing Judea and Samaria Act.” We have received word from staffers of these representatives that these calls and letters of opposition are being recorded, illustrating the power of our collective voice!


Another significant community win has come in the form of an important amendment to the Crush Transnational Repression in TN Act ( HB2279) passed by the House subcommittee. The reference to Sharia Law has been removed from the bill’s language entirely; It is religion-neutral and does not single out our faith. Furthermore, the surveillance programs have been deleted, reducing the risk of over policing and state monitoring. It has been placed on the House Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/4/2026, and we at AMAC will continue to monitor it to see what final version is passed .


After a week of budget hearings, most bills have been placed on the calendar to be discussed by their respective committees next week, specifically March 3rd and 4th, including the bills we are following HB2279, HB1708/SB1889, HB1446, and HB1711. 


Community: Immigration, Surveillance, Islamophobia, and Anti-Palestine Rhetoric


OPPOSE Crush Transnational Repression in TN Act ( HB2279): Placed on the House Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/4/2026 at 12:00 pm CST.

As a recap, this bill seeks to:

  • Creates certain criminal offenses and penalties in relation to people who follow the laws of “adversarial foreign governments.”

  • Empowers the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to create training programs and public campaigns that associate religious practices with “foreign influences" and “terrorism- REMOVED

  • It specifically singles out “Sharia law” by name. While it mentions other laws, it’s the only religious legal system explicitly named- REMOVED


OPPOSE Restricted Driver’s Licenses and English Only Tests (HB1708/SB1889): Placed on House Transportation Committee calendar for 3/3/2026 at 10:30 am CST. The Senate version is placed on the Senate Transportation and Safety Committee calendar for 3/4/2026 at 9:30 am CST.

As a recap this bill seeks to:

  • Strip driver licenses from Non-native English speakers 

    • If an applicant can’t pass the written test in English, they’d only get a one-year restricted license.

    • After that, they must retake it in English only; no interpreters or dictionaries allowed.

  • Demands proof of citizenship for mobility 


OPPOSE Erasure of the West Bank (HB1446): Placed on State and Local Government Committee calendar for 3/4/2026 at 1:30 pm CST.

As a recap this bill seeks to:

  • Prohibit state agencies from using the term “West Bank,” replacing it with “Judea and Samaria,” effectively attempting to erase Palestinian identity and history from official government records. 


OPPOSE Immigration Reporting for Recipients of Social Services (HB1711)- Placed on State and Local Governments Committee calendar for 3/4/2026 for 1:30 pm CST.


As a recap this bill seeks to:

  • Requires public schools. colleges, prisons, hospitals and social service agencies to collect the name and immigration status of every person they come in contact with.


OPPOSE HB1704: Placed on Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/4/2026.

 As introduced, creates the Class A misdemeanor of intentionally failing or refusing to depart when a final order of removal is outstanding; creates the Class A misdemeanor of intentionally entering, attempting to enter, or being found in this state after being denied admission, excluded, deported, or removed from the United States. 


OPPOSE HB1710: Placed on State and Local Governments Committee  calendar for 3/4/2026.

As introduced, requires local governments to verify that each applicant for public benefits is a United States citizen or lawfully present in the United States; authorizes the attorney general and reporter to investigate violations of requirements for verification of citizenship or presence for public benefits; requires certain reporting related to such verification for benefits. 


OPPOSE HB1706: Placed on Transportation Committee calendar for 3/3/2026.

As introduced, creates a Class A misdemeanor for a person who is unlawfully present in the United States to operate a commercial motor vehicle in this state; requires the law enforcement agency of an officer who arrests a person who is unlawfully present in the United States to operate a commercial motor vehicle in this state to ensure that federal immigration authorities are notified


For Students and Families


*OPPOSE Restricting Access to Public Schools for Undocumented Children (HB0793): Placed on House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee for 3/4/2026 (introduced last year)

As introduced, authorizes LEAs and public charter schools to refuse to enroll students who are unlawfully present in the United States. Specifically, the bill adds a new provision to the Tennessee Code that explicitly states these educational institutions may choose to enroll or decline to enroll students who are unlawfully present in the country, regardless of any conflicting existing laws. The legislation provides schools with expanded latitude in making enrollment decisions based on a student's immigration status, effectively allowing them to deny educational access to undocumented students. 


Neutral HB1491: Placed Judiciary Committee calendar for 3/4/2026.

As introduced, this bill enacts the “Protecting Religious Liberty and Expression in Public Schools Act,” which requires public schools to use the Bible within their instruction and to provide for a period of prayer and reading of religious texts. Although this bill calls for Bible instruction for students, it may open the door for school sanctioned prayer spaces for Muslim students. 


Neutral SB1041: Placed on Senate Education Committee Calendar for for 3/4/2026 

As introduced, authorizes a local board of education and public charter school governing body to employ or accept as a volunteer a school chaplain to provide support, services, and programs for students, school staff, and students' parents. There is discussion of whether this bill will open the door for other religious clerics, including Imams, to be able to provide such support services for students as well. 


For Working Professionals


OPPOSE HB1705: Placed Commerce Committee calendar for 3/4/2026.

As introduced, beginning July 1, 2026, requires all state and local governmental employers to verify the work authorization status of each prospective employee through the federal E-Verify program prior to employment.


OPPOSE SB1901: Placed on Senate Commerce And Labor Committee Calendar for 3/3/2026.

This bill mandates that individuals seeking to obtain or renew various professional licenses, certificates, permits, or authorizations in Tennessee must be either a United States citizen or a "qualified alien," a term defined in state law to include individuals legally present in the United States with specific immigration statuses. This requirement is being applied across a wide range of professions and industries, from court reporting and law to healthcare, aviation, and various trades.


What This Means for Our Community


In keeping up with the momentum to take action against these harmful bills, we are urging people to sign up to join the Memphis to Nashville carpool to attend the committee hearing to oppose HB1446 on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. By attending this hearing, you will let our legislators know that we, as a community, and importantly as Tennesseans, stand against the erasure of the West Bank in TN, and oppose the influence of American politics on Palestinian identity.  Sign up can be found here.


We only have a few weeks to make a difference and call our legislators to kill these bills. As confirmed by their staffers, our legislators hear these calls and are taking note of our opposition, highlighting the difference each and every voice makes. By clicking on the links above for each of the respective committees, you can find the phone numbers of the representatives responsible for passing these bills. Remember that because these bills are still in committees, you may reach out to any member, regardless of whether you live in their districts.


Our team will closely track bills, committee action, hearing schedules, and will provide timely updates on our Broadcast Channels. Please join and share with your friends, family, and neighbors as a key resource in today’s political battleground. We will share alerts and advocacy opportunities as the session progresses and key actions approach.



TN Legislative Update 2/27/2026

TN Legislative Update 2/27/2026

bottom of page