Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –
Governor Bill Lee (R-TN) has officially signed legislation into law that creates the offenses of human smuggling, harboring or hiding, and assisting another in harboring or hiding illegal immigrants that are known to have illegally entered or remained in the country.
SB0392/HB0322, sponsored by Sen. Brent Taylor (R-Memphis-District 31) and Rep. Chris Todd (R-Madison County-District 73), defines the crime of “human smuggling” as transporting, encouraging, or inducing an individual to either illegally enter the state or to remain in Tennessee through the act of “concealing, harboring, or shielding.”
According to the bill sponsors this legislation does three main things:
- Gives the Attorney General (AG) more tools to combat human trafficking. If the AG suspects that a business or individual is involved in human trafficking, they can obtain a court order to stop the activity, shut the business down completely, or appoint a receiver for the business.
- Creates a new crime of “human smuggling” for when somebody knowingly moves or hides illegal immigrants. This would be a Class E Felony. Smuggling a child under 13-years of age would be “aggravated human smuggling” which would be a Class A Felony.
- Cracks down on hiding illegal immigrants by making it a Class A Misdemeanor to hide or help hide illegal individuals from authorities.
To hear more about this legislation from Sen. Taylor himself, watch his legislative session wrap-up interview with The Tennessee Conservative.
The bill passed in the state Senate by a 26-6 vote on April 16th and in the state House of Representatives by a 73-22 vote on the last day of Tennessee’s 2025 legislative session, April 22nd.
Senate co-sponsors included Senators Jack Johnson, Dawn White, Paul Rose, Bobby Harshbarger, Adam Lowe, Jessie Seal, Steve Southerland, Tom Hatcher, Paul Bailey, Janice Bowling, Joey Hensley, Ed Jackson, John Stevens, Page Walley and Bo Watson.
House co-sponsors included Representatives William Lamberth, Tom Leatherwood, Kelly Keisling, Clay Doggett, Lowell Russell, Fred Atchley, Ron Gant, Timothy Hill, Michele Carringer, Brock Martin, Bud Hulsey, Paul Sherrell, Michele Reneau, Tom Stinnett, Jerome Moon, Jake McCalmon, Rebecca Alexander, Dennis Powers, Jay Reedy, Jason Zachary, Kip Capley, Jeff Burkhart, Aron Maberry, Jody Barrett, Elaine Davis, Ed Butler, Rush Bricken, Bryan Terry, Monty Fritts and Scott Cepicky.
Once a bill passes in both chambers of the Tennessee legislature, it is sent to the governor’s desk where the governor has the option to sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature.
Gov. Lee signed SB0392/HB0322 on Friday, May 9th, 2025.
According to the bill text, this new law will take effect on July 1st, 2025.
It is not retroactive, meaning it will only apply to offenses committed on or after that date.
About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
