Tennessee House Bill HB1523

Tennessee 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/31/23
• Refer: 2/2/23

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 5 and Title 41, relative to apportionment of inmates.

Impact

The implications of HB1523 are significant, particularly related to how representation is calculated within the state. By including inmates in the apportionment process based on their home addresses, the bill seeks to adjust how federal and state aid are allocated to different territorial units in Tennessee. This could lead to changes in the distribution of resources and representation, depending on the populations of inmates associated with specific geographic areas. Overall, this measure promotes a more accurate reflection of population counts that are crucial for legislative representation and funding.

Summary

House Bill 1523 seeks to amend certain sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated, specifically Titles 5 and 41, concerning the apportionment of inmates within the state. The primary aim of this bill is to ensure that inmates who cannot register as voters while incarcerated are accounted for in the apportionment process based on their home residence prior to incarceration. This would also apply to those who have changed their home addresses while incarcerated, allowing those changes to reflect in the state and federal allocation calculations that depend on census data.

Contention

Although the bill has its proponents who advocate for more equitable representation for constituents with ties to correctional facilities, there could be potential opposition from those who question the fairness of including incarcerated individuals in census counts for allocation purposes. Critics might argue that doing so could distort the true population demographics of communities and unfairly inflate representation for areas with significant numbers of inmates, complicating the political landscape in Tennessee.