NASHVILLE, Tenn. — On Wednesday, Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee reaffirmed his commitment to implementing universal school vouchers across the state. He instructed the Republican-controlled Statehouse to halt their routine legislative activities and prioritize the passage of a bill that would enable families to utilize public funding for private school tuition.
This announcement arrives at an unusual moment, as Tennessee’s legislators have just embarked on their regular legislative session, which spans several months. Instead of following the established legislative process, Lee has requested a special session that limits lawmakers to issues he defines. This special session is set to commence on January 27.
Over the years, Lee has aimed to broaden the school voucher program but has achieved limited success. Although he narrowly succeeded in 2019 in establishing a school voucher initiative for low-income families in a select few counties, he was unable to gather sufficient support to introduce a universal school voucher system last year. Opposition has mainly come from Democrats and local educational leaders.
It remains uncertain whether the political environment has shifted significantly since Lee faced setbacks in April 2024. Following Lee’s endorsements and financial backing from pro-voucher organizations, a few new legislators were elected in November, but many of them have not openly expressed their views on the universal voucher issue.
Despite this, the governor’s initiative receives backing from key legislative figures in Tennessee. On Wednesday, they collectively issued a statement affirming, “we believe the state has a responsibility to act quickly on issues that matter most to Tennesseans.”
To further bolster the discussion surrounding school vouchers, Lee also requested that lawmakers approve a $450 million relief fund for those affected by Hurricane Helene. Additionally, he emphasized the need to “address public safety measures concerning immigration, as the incoming Trump Administration has urged states to prepare for policy implementation,” according to a statement from Lee’s office. This request comes just a week after President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
Details about what these public safety measures would entail have not been specified by Lee’s administration, though they promised to share further information in the coming days. Lee has aligned himself with fellow Republican governors and lawmakers who have pledged to support Trump’s plan to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Earlier this month, he indicated to the media that he would consider utilizing the state’s National Guard to implement Trump’s agenda.
In a related development, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has also announced a special session focusing on Trump’s immigration policies, coinciding with Tennessee’s session. However, Florida’s Republican legislative leaders, who are supportive of Trump, have voiced concerns, describing it as “premature” and “irresponsible” to convene the session before Trump makes an official announcement regarding immigration enforcement strategy. Florida’s regular legislative session does not begin until March 4.
