Lawmaker seeks state registration for agents representing designated foreign adversaries

A lawmaker introduced House Bill 25 49 to require any individual or organization acting as an agent of a federally designated foreign adversary — currently defined in the federal list as China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba or the Maduro regime — to register with the Tennessee Ethics Commission and the attorney general.

The sponsor told the committee the bill closes a perceived loophole in state-level lobbying disclosure that could allow actors representing a foreign adversary to operate without notice. The sponsor said the proposal would "require any individual organization acting as an agent of a designated foreign adversary" to disclose that representation under the state definition tied to the federal list.

Resident Steven Puckett testified in support. "My name is, Steven Puckett, a resident of Hendersonville, Tennessee and, speak for myself and myself only," he said, urging the committee to consider expanding the bill to cover all foreign nations because relationships can shift.

Committee members asked whether the bill covers lobbyists and whether an individual's immigration status would matter. The sponsor said the measure targets who a person represents, not their immigration status: if someone is representing the Chinese Communist Party, for example, the registration requirement would apply; an immigrant with legal status who lobbies for a private U.S. company would not be required to register under this bill.

The committee voted to send the bill to full committee; the clerk recorded 5 ayes and 1 no on the motion to advance.