As expected, Gov. Bill Lee announced Wednesday morning that he will call a special session to begin on Jan. 27 related to his Education Freedom Act, otherwise known as the school voucher bill.
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Lee says in a release that he will also introduce a legislative package for disaster relief to address recovery in East Tennessee following Hurricane Helene. That package will also address preparation for future natural disasters, but there are no further details at this time.
Citing a request from President-Elect Donald Trump's incoming administration that states prepare immigration policy, Lee says the session will also include legislation for public safety measures around immigration.
The release includes a joint statement from Gov. Lee, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge), House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville), Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) and House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland). It reads as follows:
“We believe the state has a responsibility to act quickly on issues that matter most to Tennesseans, and there is widespread support in the General Assembly and across Tennessee for a special session on the most pressing legislative priorities: the unified Education Freedom Act and a comprehensive relief package for Hurricane Helene and other disaster recovery efforts.
"The majority of Tennesseans, regardless of political affiliation, have made it clear that they support empowering parents with school choice, and the best thing we can do for Tennessee students is deliver choices and public school resources without delay. Additionally, Hurricane Helene was an unprecedented disaster across rural, at-risk, and distressed communities that cannot shoulder the local cost share of federal relief funds on their own.
"The state has an opportunity and obligation to partner with these impacted counties and develop innovative solutions for natural disasters going forward. Finally, the American people elected President Trump with a mandate to enforce immigration laws and protect our communities, and Tennessee must have the resources ready to support the Administration on Day One.”
Democrats from both the House and the Senate gathered for a press conference after the end of Wednesday's business.
"This is my 12th legislative session," said Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) at the start of the presser. "We have been talking about educational vouchers since I got here. ... We need to be measured in this. It needs to be a process that includes all stakeholders. If it's such a good program, then why don't we wait to see how well it's performing in Nashville, Memphis and Chattanooga? Because thus far, the students who have taken advantage of these vouchers are not performing better than their peers."
Rallies were held across the state this week in Chattanooga, Clarksville, Knoxville, Memphis and Smyrna by groups opposing the voucher bill, among them Tennessee for All, SOCM (Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment) and Public School Strong.
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“We reject Gov. Lee's billionaire-backed voucher scam (HB1/SB1),” the organizers say in a release. “We demand full investment in our public schools.”
In 2023, Gov. Lee announced his desire to bring a universal voucher program to Tennessee. Though the legislature passed the previous state budget with $144 million earmarked for such a program, corresponding legislation was not ultimately voted through — Democrats outright opposed it, and Republicans in the House and Senate couldn’t agree on how to go about it.
Republicans seem to have gotten on the same page for this session. Senate Majority Leader Johnson told the Williamson Scene following the November election that he was confident vouchers had the votes needed to pass, and the new legislation was introduced very soon after.
After that election, House Minority Caucus Leader Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville) called the legislation the “same scam, different language” and “an attempt to privatize education and completely dismantle and defund our public schools.”
Sen. Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) tells the Scene that Gov. Lee wants to do whatever he can to pass his education bill.
"Lee doesn't want to let the issue be obfuscated by any other bills, and he wants to control the committees," says Campbell. "And special committees are appointed for a special session. He's using chairmanships and every lever he can to push it through."
