Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly are pushing legislation that would penalize people in the Volunteer State who are harboring illegal immigrants.

The bill would transform existing state laws and would see the harboring of illegal immigrants be treated in the same manner as human trafficking.

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Introduced by Republican state Rep. Chris Todd, HB 0322 would create the “offense of human smuggling; creates the offense of harboring or hiding, or assisting another in harboring or hiding, within this state an individual who the person knows or should have known has illegally entered or remained in the United States,” according to the legislative text.

Individuals transporting at least 10 adults or at least five minors who are in the country illegally for “commercial advantage or private financial gain” would face human smuggling charges punishable by a possible six-year prison sentence and a fine of $3,000.

This offense would also be applied to citizens who encourage or induce the same number of illegal immigrants, according to the legislation.

Knowingly harboring and concealing an illegal immigrant is also subject to criminal penalties under Title 8, U.S. Code § 1324.

If passed, the legislation would also authorize corporations to be prosecuted for acts or omissions involving human smuggling and would create a separate Class A misdemeanor for people harboring or hiding illegal immigrants.

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That offense would warrant a $1,000 fine for each illegal immigrant being hidden, the legislation says.

The bill advanced to a Criminal Justice Subcommittee on March 19 and, if passed, would take effect July 1.