Contact:
Claire Gross, Sr. Manager of Public Relations
cgross@ceoworks.org | (646) 370-8292
Nashville, TN–March 31, 2026– Statement from Simone Price, Director of Organizing and Advocacy, Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Memphis, on the Passage of TN SB 1479
“We are encouraged by the Tennessee General Assembly’s unanimous passage of SB 1479, a practical, bipartisan step that recognizes something we see every day in our work: access to identification is foundational to a successful reentry.
At the Center for Employment Opportunities, we work alongside individuals returning home from incarceration who are ready to work, support their families, and contribute to their communities, but are too often delayed by not having something as basic as a valid driver’s license or ID. A driver’s license or birth certificate can be the difference between reentry and reincarceration. Yet, for many people leaving incarceration, obtaining vital documents is a maze of fees, wait times, and outdated processes.
SB 1479 addresses this gap with a common-sense solution ensuring that returning Tennesseans leave incarceration with a valid driver’s license, or the ability to quickly obtain one, including extending licenses that expired during incarceration. This policy will help people transition more quickly into the workforce, strengthen Tennessee’s economy, and support safer, more stable communities.
We are grateful for the bipartisan leadership that advanced this legislation and urge Governor Lee to swiftly sign SB 1479 into law. Every day without access to identification is a missed opportunity—for individuals, families, and our state.”
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About the Center for Employment Opportunities
The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides immediate, effective, and comprehensive employment services exclusively to people recently released from incarceration. CEO currently operates in 30 cities in 12 states and is dedicated to ensuring justice-impacted people have opportunities to achieve socioeconomic mobility. For more information, visit ceoworks.org.