Lottery Scholarship Compromise Fails To Materialize, Legislature Back For Another Day

A deal to lessen requirements for retaining a Tennessee lottery scholarship fell apart yesterday at the state legislature, causing the body to return for at least one more day of work.

After holding secret meetings for a week, negotiators from both houses and both political parties thought they had reached a compromise late yesterday afternoon. But by 6 o’clock it wilted, as House Democrats claimed the compromise had elements they hadn’t agreed to.

Senate Education Committee chair Jamie Woodson said the overnight break would help both sides clarify their proposals.

“We want to make sure that the amendment is really an accurate reflection of all these conversations that have taken place and so, we have it before us, we’re gonna review it over the evening and bring it back first thing in the morning.”

But there was no promise that the two houses would pass the same bill. If the Senate and House pass different versions, the differences would have to be ironed out in a conference committee.

Those differences include how much money to spend on students who don’t maintain a 3.0 average after the second year of college.

Yesterday was the last paid day of the session, meaning legislators will receive no pay for working today.

Daniel Potter contributed to this story.

 

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Senator Woodson presented a draft compromise to a caucus of Senate Republicans yesterday afternoon, which she said was a good balance for funding scholarships with available funds.

“I think really looking at the proposal, it impacts a total of over, approximately twelve thousand students…the House proposal that is over in the Senate chamber right now impacts, if it balances, approximately nine thousand. And so it would provide three thousand additional students opportunities to participate in the HOPE program.”

The draft of the compromise presented to the Republican Senate caucus yesterday afternoon would enable sophomore HOPE scholars with a 2.75 GPA to continue receiving funds, provided they post 3.0 GPA each following semester.

It would also create the Helping Heroes Program, which would give scholarships to veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq.

The HOPE Scholarship bill is at the head of the schedule for the state senate when it meets today at eight thirty.