Amends TCA Title 4; Title 5; Title 6 and Title 7.

With certain exception, this bill specifies that the governor and local governments do not have the authority to voluntarily accept, and must to refuse to consent to receive any refugees, for purposes of resettlement. Under present law, the Refugee Absorptive Capacity Act authorizes a local government to determine the absorptive capacity the local government has to support a host community of refugees. The Tennessee office for refugees administers the refugee program in the state, providing reports and updates to local and state governments regarding initial placement of refugees, agency participation, and concerns of host communities. The office also fields concerns from host communities and local governments about refugee resettlements. Present law allows a local government to request a moratorium on new refugee resettlement in a host community that lacks capacity. The office for refugees relays such request to the United States state department, which may then suspend additional resettlement of refugees until the state refugee coordinator and the local government have determined capacity exists. Such moratorium or an extension thereof is valid for not more than one year. This bill requires the governor and each local government to refuse to consent to receive any refugees for the purpose of resettlement. Under this bill, the present Act will only apply to refugees received before the bill's effective date or as applied to the use of moratoriums, described below. This bill authorizes local governments to propose to consent to receiving refugees by the adoption of a resolution or ordinance by a 2/3 vote of the local government. The resolution or ordinance must specify the number of refugees to be received and the location for resettlement. If the local government approves such resolution or ordinance: (1) The local government must provide notice of the approval to each member of its legislative delegation; and (2) A member of the general assembly may propose legislation authorizing the local government to consent to resettlement of refugees within its boundaries. Such legislation must authorize the local government to request a moratorium on resettlement. Such legislation must also specify the amount of state funds authorized for the purpose of assisting refugees covered by the legislation. This bill requires the department of labor and workforce development to provide the members of the general assembly with a good faith estimate of the number of jobs Tennesseans may lose to the refugees as a result of the passage of such legislation prior to the legislation being considered by the general assembly. Under this bill, for the local government to consent to receive refugees, the proposed legislation described above in (2) must pass both houses of the general assembly by 2/3 vote and be signed into law by the governor. Any local government approval of a resolution or ordinance regarding refugee resettlement, or legislation proposed described above in (2), is valid for a one-year period.