PDF: Amendment to Senate Bill 2660 and House Bill 2940
NASHVILLE -- Senate Transportation Committee members Tuesday approved a compromise version of a bill requiring that state driver license exams be administered only in English.
The language was aimed at soothing concerns voiced by businesses including executives from Volkswagen group of America, Bridgestone Corp. and Nissan North America.
Transportation Committee members passed the measure on a 8-1 vote.
"It was my understanding that most of the major employers in our state were OK," said Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, who took over as lead sponsor of the bill from Sen. Dewayne Bunch, R-Cleveland. "It was basically their language."
The measure originally required the written portion of the exam be given in English only. It now requires all portions of the exam to be administered in English.
However, the amendment also creates major exceptions for persons legally authorized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to be in the country for a "specific purpose, including, but not limited to, investing, overseeing investment, providing needed services to companies ... in Tennessee."
A House sponsor of the bill, Rep. Eric Watson, R-Cleveland, a Bradley County sheriff's department lieutenant, said he was concerned that stating the bill is "not limited to" goes too far and renders it virtually meaningless.
"It's too open ended," said Rep. Watson, who has raised safety-related concerns.
Earlier in the Senate Transportation Committee, Sen. Andy Berke, D-Chattanooga, initially raised concerns about the amendment. But after hearing Sen. Ketron's explanation, he voted yes, saying later his concerns had been addressed with regard to Volkswagen, which is building a $1 billion factory in Chattanooga.
Despite the compromise, the Rev. David Gaffney, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church, continued to raise concerns in Senate testimony, calling it "a human rights issue."