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Legislation that would have required driver’s license tests to be given only in English and allowed state troopers to begin enforcing immigration laws were killed Tuesday in a House subcommittee.
\nHouse Transportation Chairman Phillip Pinion urged members of the Public Safety and Rural Roads Subcommittee to vote against the license testing measure.<\/p>\n
“Let’s get rid of our redneck image and go back to saying we want people to come here,” said Pinion, D-Union City.
\nRep. Tom DuBois, R-Columbia, who sponsored the bill, said he is concerned that non-English speakers won’t know how to read traffic signs that are only in English.
\nThe measure failed on a 6-6 vote, with House Speaker Jimmy Naifeh casting the deciding vote against the bill.<\/p>\n
“I think it was a bad bill and I’m glad we held it in committee,” said Naifeh, D-Covington. “Anytime I get the opportunity I’ll vote ‘no’ on it.”
\nGov. Phil Bredesen had said he would have considered vetoing the English-only bill if it had passed the Legislature.<\/p>\n