Bill to Require English Language License Examinations Introduced in Tennessee

Tennessee Senator Bill Ketron has introduced legislation that would require all prospective motorists in Tennessee to take the driver’s license exam in English, making the roads safer and saving taxpayer money. Under S.B. 2660, all written examinations would be in English, tying the privilege of driving with the societal expectation that non-English speakers are on the road to learning English. At the current time, Tennessee conducts driver’s license exams in English, Japanese, Korean and Spanish.

Missouri, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York and South Dakota also have active legislation that would eliminate driver's license exams in languages other than English. Similar Tennessee legislation was passed by a Senate Committee in 2009, but did not see any further action before the end of the session. The text of S.B. 2660 can be found here.

Residents of Tennessee can contact their elected officials in support of this bill by clicking here. Residents of other states can visit the Action Center to learn what about measures pending on the state and federal level.