Tennessee legislation · 114th General Assembly

Tennessee SB1915: AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4, Chapter 1 and Title 4, Chapter 58, relative to public benefits.

Status: Chaptered, May 27, 2026

Fiscal Summary STATE GOVERNMENTEXPENDITURESGeneral FundFY26-27$131,100FY27-28 & Subsequent Years$127,900Total Positions Required: 1 Bill Summary This bill incorporates local government entities into the Eligibility Verification for Entitlements Act, and clarifies that such Act is applicable to state government entities, local government entities, and local health departments pertaining to:  The verification of citizenship of applicants for benefits. The liability for false, fictitious statements or representations. Filing complaints with the United States attorney alleging criminal violations. Violations and reports on compliance. Sending to or receiving from the federal naturalization service information regarding immigration status of aliens. The application process and the cost of verification. This bill requires all state government entities, local government entities, and local health departments to report the number of individuals who applied for a public benefit and were determined upon receipt of a final verification not to be a United States citizen or qualified alien to the general assembly, the department of finance and administration, and the centralized immigration enforcement division of the department of safety, and criminal liability for those who are in violation of this requirement. This bill authorizes the attorney general to investigate allegations that a local governmental entity or local health department is in violation of this bill. VERIFICATION OF CITIZENSHIP OF APPLICANTS FOR BENEFITS Unless prohibited by federal law, this bill requires every state governmental entity, local governmental entity, and local health department to verify that each applicant who is 18 or older and applies for a federal, state, or local public benefit from the state governmental entity,