TN Legislature Advances a Bill Requiring a Person Speak English to Obtain a Tennessee Driver's License

by Rod Williams, March 13, 2026 - A bill that would require applicants for a Tennessee driver's license to prove their ability to read English and also require proof of citizenship or permanent residency to register a vehicle advanced in both houses of the legislature this week, passing committees in both houses with overwhelming majorities. 

Why? What problem are they trying to solve? One does not need to speak English to maneuver on the roadways. Traffic signs are almost universal in design. If you can recognize "stop," and "speed limit ..." that is about all you need to know. 

The law does not require foreign tourists to read English to rent a car. It does not prohibit illiterate Americans from driving a car. This is not about roadway safety. It is about bigotry. 

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