Registration or residency requirements

lascassas_camper wrote:
Does anyone have a link to a bill or law we can copy? Or reasonable ideas? The legislation needs to be short and to the point so we can get it through without it ending up in committee.

Your local state representative should be happy to provide that information to you. They love to provide pre-legislative information because it makes them look good, and they think you will vote for them.

But according to your state web page, http://www.tn.gov/newcomers/, it is already very easy to become a resident of Tennessee. "There are just a few steps for establishing a legal residence in Tennessee. A driver license, voter registration, automobile registration, the appearance of a person’s name on a city or town street list, and rent, utility, mortgage or telephone bills normally provide tangible proof of residence. Tennessee is the only state that has no durational requirement. Meaning there is no time limit before you can be a resident. However, individual public or private agencies or institutions may have their own requirements for proof of residence."

But becoming a non-resident of your previous state could be a bigger problem.

And having a Super Majority of single minded thinkers in the state house can present both good and bad things. It usually turns out different than one would think. Be careful what you pray for, you might just get it, and then not like it.

The right to vote is certainly one of those things that most fulltimers we've met want to be assured of and that has certainly been a negative in view of what some county officials did a few years ago. I also believe that investment income is tax in Tennessee and a lot of fulltimers have investment income as they retire, not to mention good reliable mail forwarding service(s). There are reasons that Florida, SD, and Texas are rated high by fulltimers.

Also you mentioned homeowners insurance, etc. That really doesn't appeal to fulltimers - our home is on wheels so we don't worry about it. Again, the winter climate isn't something that would appeal much to a majority of snowbirders, so I'm still interested in why someone is so interested in putting forth this legislation.

Barb

BarbaraOK wrote:
Why are you trying to change things. TN doesn't have much appeal as a snowbird area. And certainly not much to make a fulltimer want to use that as their residency state, especially with the history of disenfranchising fulltime voters.

Barb

No state income tax, no death tax, low property taxes, affordable insurance, moderate climate, beautiful scenery, friendly people...yup, not much that would interest a full timer at all.

Sounds like you have some sour grapes regarding the Volunteer State. This is the opinion of someone who was born and raised in that fulltimer Mecca known as the state of Florida. My wife and I finally decided to move to Tennessee because we got very tired of higher taxes, outrageous homeowner and vehicle insurance, and the growing necessity of speaking a foreign language in a state where I was born and raised.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion...

Why are you trying to change things. TN doesn't have much appeal as a snowbird area. And certainly not much to make a fulltimer want to use that as their residency state, especially with the history of disenfranchising fulltime voters.

Barb

lascassas_camper wrote:
Does anyone have a link to a bill or law we can copy? Or reasonable ideas? The legislation needs to be short and to the point so we can get it through without it ending up in committee.

South Dakota is very welcoming to fulltimers. One day residency to register to vote and get drivers license. No estate tax. No vehicle tax. Now drivees license renewal on line. License plate renewal by mail. Someone can come to South Dakota and the next day leave being a full fledged South Dakota citizen. Call Paul who owns Alternative Resources in Sioux Falls, probably the biggest and first mail forwarding company in South Dakota whose main clientele are fulltimers. 800-477-2664

What is your definition of "Snowbirds." If you are including Canadians there is defined rules of length of stay.

If you are from the USA I am not aware of any restrictions on snowbirds, we go when we want, as long as we want and where ever we want within the USA. At least being from MN I know of no restrictions. Now if you are talking about going to Mexico, or South America there may be restrictions but they would be federal, not state. Could you clarify?