🏛️ Will the state get sued for passing this bill?

🏛️ State Lawmakers Pass Two ‘Immigration 2026’ Bills

Two immigration bills are headed to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk to be signed after the state legislature passed them. One bill would make it a Class A misdemeanor to be in Tennessee for 90 days after a final deportation order is issued. The bill’s sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin), argues the bill will ensure immigration enforcement on the state level regardless of who’s president. [Nashville Banner]

• Potential consequences: The 2012 Supreme Court ruling Arizona v. United States held that states can only check status and cannot enforce immigration laws. If Gov. Lee signs this bill, it could open the state to costly litigation. Similar bills in other states are tied up in federal court. [Nashville Banner; Tennessee Lookout]
• The second bill: The state legislature also passed a bill authorizing county election administrators to verify voters’ immigration status through a federal database. Tennessee already verifies voters’ citizenship status, but this would move the process to the initial application review. [Tennessee Lookout]
• Context: These bills are part of a slate of anti-immigration legislation crafted by Republican leadership with input from Pres. Trump’s Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Last year also saw many proposed bills focusing on immigration status, including one that makes it illegal for churches or landlords to “harbor” undocumented immigrants. [🎧 City Cast Nashville; Nashville Scene]

☕ A Local’s Guide to Madison

If you’re headed to Madison for the Amqui Station farmers market, kicking off April 19, why not make a day of it? On today’s podcast, acclaimed musician and local treasure Ellen Angelico gives their guide to the best places to eat, get a haircut, and see lots of cats in Madison. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]

💸 Are Nashville’s Property Taxes Too High?

The Nashville Property Tax Coalition, formed earlier this year, is continuing to lobby for lower commercial property taxes, which were due in February. Business owners argue that last year’s assessments fail to reflect current market conditions. “It does surprise me that there has not been any offer of assistance from the city,” says Bill Miller, founder and CEO of Icon Entertainment & Hospitality and owner of numerous downtown businesses. [Nashville Scene]

• Property values increased by a median of 45% since the city last assessed them. Listen to our conversation with Assessor of Property Vivian Wilhoite about how the process works. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
• An “unprecedented number” of property owners have appealed their assessments this year. Here’s how to appeal. [Nashville Scene; Assessor of Property]
• However, Tennessee has one of the lowest tax burdens in the United States, with only Alaska and New Hampshire paying less. [WalletHub]

🎵 Why Sustaining a Music Career Is Getting Harder

Live Nation is in its fourth week of an antitrust trial over its dominance in ticketing and concert promotion. While the company offered a settlement in March, Tennessee and most state plaintiffs refused to sign it. Musicians say other concerns are impacting the music scene beyond Live Nation’s alleged monopoly over ticketing, including the costs of touring, indie venue closures, and the rise of generative AI. [Nashville Scene; WPLN]

• Can corporate and indie venues coexist in Nashville? We asked two local music gurus. [🎧 City Cast Nashville]
• And if you’re looking to support local indies, here’s our guide to music venues outside of downtown. [📰 City Cast Nashville]

🧒 Will These Bills Help Our Child Care Crisis?

Earlier this week, we interviewed a local daycare owner about Nashville’s child care crisis and local legislation aimed at making it easier to open a child care center. State lawmakers have also proposed three bills addressing this crisis. One bill would eliminate red tape in opening a child care center in a commercial district, another would allow 16-year-olds to work at daycare centers for class credit, and a third would use taxes from vape sales to help working families pay for child care. [🎧 City Cast Nashville; WKRN]