State lawmakers wrapped the 2024 session up Thursday night, having passed two of the biggest bills in the last week.
Vastly different school voucher plans are advancing in Tennessee’s legislature this week. Here’s where things stand.
Lawmakers are now in their second week of weighing competing proposals to expand private school vouchers across Tennessee.
Controversial bill that criminalizes abortion aid for Tennessee teens clears its first hurdle
A proposal that would make it a felony to help teens get abortions passed out of its first committee hearing Tuesday in Tennessee. House Bill 1895 has several more votes to go before it can head to the governor’s desk.
Tennessee Democrats to put up ‘fierce resistance’ to governor’s school vouchers bill
A draft bill on Gov. Bill Lee’s private school voucher plan was posted on the General Assembly web site and then removed Monday. The bill still has time to be amended, but many who saw the draft have noted recipients would receive more money than the state spends on some public school students.
Tennessee Democrats call on education commissioner to resign over qualifications
“She has zero experience in school administration, as you saw from her resume. She’s not qualified to teach,” said John Ray Clemmons (D-Nashville).
Sledding and bill writing: Tennessee lawmakers say they’re working from home this snowy week
This week’s snow not only warranted schools shutting down, but also the state capitol. But lawmakers say they’ve still been working — from home.
Tennessee Democrats say limiting debate and public access is an unnecessary move by Republican Supermajority
Members of the public were met with resistance when trying to enter one of two balconies; Democratic members were singled out for talking too much; and the Republican Speaker was given new powers to set time limits on debates.
New House rules for Tennessee’s legislative session could limit speech and silence lawmakers for speaking off topic
Each year, lawmakers vote on a rules package that lays out the policies and procedures that must be followed. In the past, approving rules was not contentious, for the most part. But the current leadership has made several changes limiting speech on the Tennessee House floor.
Tennessee judges reject Republican-drawn Senate districts, uphold House maps
The court found that the state Senate maps violate the constitution because lawmakers incorrectly numbered the legislative districts.
Science backs Mayor O’Connell’s later school start time policy. Critics say it’s a logistics problem.
Since his election in September, Mayor Freddie O’Connell has announced that pushing back school start times is a cornerstone of the education policy he is promoting. He and others around the country have been trying to stress that teenagers aren’t lazy or to blame for getting too little sleep. It’s science.
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