Tenn. Code Ann. § 4-38-104: Request for moratorium

(a) Based on the factors in § 4-38-102(1) , upon the adoption of a resolution the legislative body of a local government may request a moratorium on new refugee resettlement activities, documenting that the host community lacks absorptive capacity and that further resettlement of refugees in the host community would result in an adverse impact to existing residents. Such resolution shall be forwarded to the Tennessee office for refugees for appropriate action pursuant to subsection (b).

(b) The Tennessee office for refugees shall accept and may forward to the United States state department, the request from a local government for a moratorium on new refugee resettlement activities in a host community which lacks absorptive capacity. The United States state department may thereafter implement the request for a moratorium.

(c) Upon notice of a determination made pursuant to this section, the United States state department may thereafter suspend additional resettlement of refugees in that community, until the state refugee coordinator and the local government have jointly determined that absorptive capacity for refugee resettlement exists to implement any further refugee resettlement activities in the host community.

(d) The period of validity of a moratorium described in subsection (c) or any extension thereof, shall not exceed one (1) year.