Tennessee governor Bill Haslam is pushing state legislators to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill.
The Tennessee Republican said Wednesday he is working with state Republican legislative leaders to develop a broad-based bill aimed at addressing illegal immigration.
Mr. Haslam says he plans to put forth a number of bills, all of which are meant to address a certain immigration issue. One of the proposals would require the written portion of driver’s license exams be given in English, a proposal that has sparked debate in the past.
“What I want to make certain is that those businesses that have located here and anyone else who’s here for a legal reason doesn’t feel threatened by that in any way,” Mr. Haslam said.
Tennessee’s move to address immigration reform is the latest attempt by state legislators to push forward with proposals while Congress considers national immigration reform measures. A number of state legislatures are pushing ahead, saying Congress is failing to carry out its responsibility in dealing with the issue.
Utah, which is currently considering an Arizona-style immigration law, passed a measure earlier this week allowing state lawmakers to pass immigration measures. The move followed comments from Utah U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch, who said Congress will likely delay passing an immigration bill this year.
