TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Kate Prince on May 28, 2020

The state House’s Departments & Agencies Subcommittee today approved two bills that restrict Gov. Bill Lee’s authority to opt Tennessee into the federal refugee resettlement program, the Daily Memphian reports. The subcommittee passed HB1929, brought by Rep. Ron Gant, R-Rossville, which prohibits the governor from obligating the state to participate in the program without authorization of a joint resolution by the General Assembly. It also approved HB1578 from Rep. Bruce Griffey, R-Paris, requiring the state and local governments to refuse to consent to receive refugees for resettlement. Both bills will next be heard in the House State Committee, but the Senate isn’t expected to consider its version of the bills in this truncated COVID-19 session.