Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Immigration topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Leader Lambert’s HB 793, a student-data reporting bill, moves forward after public testimony raising fiscal and enrollment concerns
Summary
House Bill 793, described by supporters as a data-reporting measure, was advanced 15–9 after three public witnesses warned it could be costly, administratively burdensome and discourage school attendance; committee members questioned implementation, training and fiscal responsibility.
House Bill 793, sponsored by Leader Lambert, was amended in committee and advanced to calendar and rules by a vote of 15–9 on March 10, 2026, following public testimony and extended questioning about implementation and fiscal effects.
Leader Lambert opened discussion saying the bill has "a not significant fiscal note" and framed the measure as a data-collection bill. Three witnesses opposed the bill during the finance-focused testimony period. Stephen Puckett (Hendersonville) warned of fiscal and legal risk and urged the bill "stay behind the budget until the sponsor can get the Senate to cooperate," noting uncertainty from a Senate companion bill that could alter fiscal exposure. Laurie Brown, CEO of Intrepid College Prep in Antioch, said the measure would pull schools away from instruction and create unfunded administrative work, and urged legislators to vote no; Brown said schools were being asked to perform the work without corresponding fiscal resources. Candelaria Mendoza, a college student and future special-education teacher, testified that "collecting immigration data would be both costly and burdensome" and cited an estimate that the requirement "could cost Tennessee over $55,000,000 in the 1st year alone." The committee did not independently verify the figure during testimony.
Representative Freeman and other members pressed witnesses on whether educators have the legal training to determine immigration status; witnesses responded that additional training and funding would be required. Supporters, including Leader Lambert, characterized the bill as specifying reporting of information already requested at enrollment and argued it is a data bill intended to inform resource decisions. Chairman Baum asked whether reporting requirements could discourage attendance; supporters said the bill requests information similar to existing enrollment questions but opponents warned about potential chilling effects.
After debate and procedural motions, the clerk reported a committee vote of 15 ayes and 9 nos; the chair announced that House Bill 793 moves on to calendar and rules.
