HB 1551

Present law requires the department of correction to provide an inmate who is discharged from imprisonment for a felony offense, and who intends to reside in this state, with relevant documentation to assist the inmate in obtaining post-release employmen t and to coordinate with the department of safety to provide a photo identification license, which is for identification purposes only and not valid for vehicular use, if the inmate does not have a current photo identification license or driver license. Th is bill requires the department of correction to also coordinate with the department of safety to provide a driver license to released inmates in certain circumstances as outlined below. ASSISTANCE WITH OBTAINING LICENSES If a person discharged from incarceration possesses, or previously possessed prior to incarceration, a driver license that was valid and in good standing (i.e, not suspended, revoked, or canceled) at the time of incarceration, then this bill requires the department of correction to coordinate with the department of safety to provide such person with a driver license. A driver license that expired solely due to the period of incarceration is considered in good standing. If a person in the custody of the department of correction had a valid Tennessee driver license that expired during the inmate's imprisonment or within six months of being discharged from incarceration, then this bill requires the expiration date of that driver license to be extended for a period of six months after the person is released from the custody of the department of correction. The department of safety must notify the license holder within three days of the extension that the license holder mu st apply to renew their driver license according to present law. If a discharged inmate does not possess a valid driver license in good standing, then the department of correction must, instead, coordinate with the department of safety to provide the inmate a photo identification license, which, as stated above, is fo r identification purposes only and not valid for vehicular use. DATA-SHARING AGREEMENT This bill requires the departments of safety and correction to enter into a data-sharing agreement to facilitate the exchange of necessary data to carry out this bill. RULEMAKING This bill authorizes the departments of correction and safety to promulgate policies and rules to implement this bill. ON MARCH 2, 2026, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1 AND PASSED SENATE BILL 1479, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 eliminates the requirement that the driver license of a person who held an unexpired Tennessee driver license upon imprisonment that expired during the person's term of imprisonment, or within six months after the person is discharged from i ncarceration, have its expiration date extended for six months after the person is released from custody. Instead, this amendment requires the department of safety to work with the department of correction on the renewal of a driver license upon the rele as e of a person from incarceration, if the person is otherwise eligible for a driver license and meets documentation requirements.