Senate Bill 990 and House Bill 1194 aim to amend various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to E-Verify, which is a system used to verify the employment eligibility of workers. The bills propose that the office responsible for E-Verify will create and publish a report detailing the number of employers enrolled in the program or for whom work authorization checks have been conducted. Additionally, the bills modify the definition of a private employer from "at least six (6) employees" to "at least one (1) employee," thereby expanding the scope of employers required to comply with E-Verify regulations.

Furthermore, the bills revise the compliance requirements for private employers, mandating that they submit evidence of compliance within forty-five days of a final order. If they fail to do so, the commissioner may request a suspension of the employer's business license. The penalties for non-compliance are structured to escalate, with first or second violations resulting in temporary suspensions until the issue is resolved, while a third or subsequent violation could lead to permanent suspension. The provisions of this act are set to take effect on January 1, 2027, and will apply to conduct and employees hired on or after that date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 50-1-703(a)(6)(B), 50-1-703
Amended with HA0565 -- 03/05/2026: 50-1-703(a)(6)(B), 50-1-703, 50-1-702(13), 50-1-702, 50-1-703(f)