House Bill 1709 and Senate Bill 1901 propose amendments to the Tennessee Code Annotated that primarily focus on the eligibility requirements for obtaining professional licenses. A significant change introduced by the bill is that applicants must be either United States citizens or qualified aliens, as defined in Section 4-58-102. This new requirement is applied across various sections related to professions such as court reporters, aeronautics instructors, and educators, ensuring that only individuals who meet these criteria can obtain the necessary licenses or certifications.

The bill also includes deletions of existing legal language that previously outlined eligibility criteria for certain professions, specifically in sections related to court reporting and other professional licenses. By removing specific subdivisions from Sections 63-16-104(a)(1)(B) and 63-20-102(1)(A), the bill streamlines the requirements to focus on citizenship or qualified alien status. Furthermore, it encourages the Supreme Court to establish guidelines that limit law practice eligibility to U.S. citizens or qualified aliens, reinforcing the emphasis on citizenship in professional licensing throughout the state. The act will take effect upon becoming law and will apply to all relevant applications submitted or renewed thereafter.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 4-58-103(a)(2), 4-58-103, 20-9-609(a), 20-9-609, 37-5-127, 42-2-210, 44-10-203, 44-15-111, 44-16-201, 44-17-104, 45-1-130, 47-18-5504, 47-18-5512, 47-18-5803, 47-26-804(a)(1), 47-26-804, 47-26-1004, 49-5-101, 49-5-106, 49-5-109, 52-2-406, 53-1-204, 53-7-216, 53-14-105(b), 53-14-105, 55-17-302, 56-6-103, 62-26-206(a)(2), 62-26-206, 62-26-207(a)(2), 62-26-207, 62-27-107(a), 62-27-107, 62-35-106(2), 62-35-106, 62-35-117(2), 62-35-117, 63-1-104(c), 63-1-104, 63-5-110(a)(2), 63-5-110, 63-6-207(a)(1), 63-6-207, 63-6-207(a)(2), 63-11-207(a)(3)(B), 63-11-207, 63-11-207(b)(2)(B), 63-11-207(c)(4)(B), 63-12-112(b)(4), 63-12-112, 63-14-103(a)(1), 63-14-103, 63-16-104(a)(1)(B), 63-16-104, 63-20-102(1)(A), 63-20-102, 68-24-602, 68-104-102, 68-135-103, 68-140-306, 68-221-904, 71-1-134