In The News

2006: In response to community pushback, a Senate bill was amended to allow Spanish, Korean, and Japanese tests for driver's licenses, aligning with the languages already offered by the Department of Safety.

• https://wpln.org/post/english-only-drivers-license-bill-passes-senate-allows-other-languages/

2010: Community groups, along with corporations like Volkswagen and the Japanese Consulate, successfully opposed the English-only driver's license bill in committees, preventing its passage.

• https://www.publicnewsservice.org/2010-03-22/civil-rights/tn-english-only-effort-moving-forward/a13173-1

• https://colorlines.com/article/good-news-tennessee-kills-english-only-drivers-license-bill/

2011: Governor Haslam played a role in pushing back against the English-only initiative for driver's license tests, expressing concerns about its impact on foreign business. 

• https://wpln.org/post/lawmakers-eye-english-only-drivers-license-test-haslam-questions-effect-on-foreign-business/

2014: Metro Council Resolution Failed for Driver's License

• https://clarksvillenow.com/local/new-resolution-asks-state-to-offer-driver-license-test-in-arabic/

2019: Community groups advocated for additional languages in driving exams “Hogan estimates it cost several thousand dollars to add the German test option.”   

• https://www.wknofm.org/news-and-features/2019-04-24/foreign-language-speakers-say-tn-driving-exam-puts-brakes-on-getting-a-license.

2022: The Our State, Our Languages coalition launched in the summer of 2022 and continued its efforts for linguistic inclusivity in Tennessee's driver's license tests. 

• https://wpln.org/post/curious-nashville-follow-up-no-progress-on-adding-more-languages-for-tennessees-drivers-tests-but-pressure-is-growing/

• https://tennesseelookout.com/2022/06/03/tennessees-arabic-speakers-work-to-add-their-language-to-driver-license-tests/

• https://www.wsmv.com/2022/04/25/nashville-man-fails-drivers-test-14-times-due-no-arabic-option/

• https://www.tennessean.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennessean.com%2Fstory%2Fopinion%2Fcolumnists%2F2023%2F03%2F02%2Fopinion-tn-should-offer-drivers-license-tests-in-more-languages%2F69901035007%2F

2023: The Our State, Our Languages movement expanded its reach, with ongoing efforts to promote language access in driver's license tests

• https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/10news-today/tennessee-driver-exam-language-access-arabic-driving-roads-safe-drivers-license/51-611a07a2-8a24-4bee-847b-5e0e14b3b241

• https://www.newschannel5.com/news/tennessee-offers-driver-license-tests-in-5-languages-but-most-widely-spoken-languages-arent-included

• https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2023/mar/10/seeking-arabic-more-tennessee-drivers-test-tfp/

• https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/coverstory/room-for-interpretation-how-nashville-could-better-serve-its-multilingual-community/article_11d93094-b6f0-11ed-8b8f-efc25ec2389e.html

• https://www.wbir.com/article/news/local/10news-today/tennessee-driver-exam-language-access-arabic-driving-roads-safe-drivers-license/51-611a07a2-8a24-4bee-847b-5e0e14b3b241

2024: Following introduction of bills both in the TN State House and Senate, the Our State, Our Languages Coalition focused advocacy efforts on requesting the bills be removed from consideration.

• https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/contributors/2024/03/21/tennessee-driver-test-language-access-civil-right-senate-bill-1717/72971078007/