NASHVILLE, Tenn (WZTV) — The Tennessee House has passed legislation that would require state and local governments to verify the work authorization status of new employees. The companion version of the bill is still under consideration in the Senate.
The measure, House Bill 1705, would mandate that all state and local government employers use the federal E-Verify system to confirm that prospective employees are authorized to work in the United States.
Under the bill, which takes effect July 1, 2026, government entities, including agencies, counties, municipalities and local education agencies, would be prohibited from hiring or appointing individuals without first completing the verification process. Employers would also be required to retain documentation of those checks for the duration of a worker’s employment.
The legislation is sponsored by Tim Rudd (R-Murfreesboro) who said the proposal is intended to ensure compliance with existing employment laws and provide consistency across government hiring practices.
The bill also grants enforcement authority to the Tennessee attorney general. If a local government or school system is found to be out of compliance, the state could withhold certain funding, including state-shared tax revenue, until the issue is addressed.
Tennessee lawmakers previously approved a 2022 law requiring many private employers to use E-Verify for new hires. This measure would extend similar requirements to public-sector employment statewide.
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