Top Senate Stories
Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025
Today’s Senate Schedule
8:30 a.m. Senate State & Local Govt
11 a.m. Senate Finance
2:30 p.m. Full Senate
Fiscal Note: Lee’s voucher bill will cut local K-12 funding by $45M next year
11 a.m. CT - SB 6001 - Senate Finance - Watch
- Gov.
Bill Lee and Republicans claim their voucher scam won’t cut public school funding, but the fiscal note attached to the legislation predicts there will be a $45 million cut to the K-12 student funding formula, known as TISA, as soon as next year.
- “The net decrease in state expenditures (TISA) and the corresponding net decrease in local revenue is estimated to be $44,933,557,” the Fiscal Note says.
- It turns out the much heralded “hold harmless” provision is so restrictive that only a handful of school districts (15 out 144) would qualify for backfill funding when students leave with a voucher.
- Sen. Jeff Yarbro will expose this underhanded school funding cut by introducing an amendment (page 15) that truly reimburses school districts when a student transfers to a private school using the voucher.
Spending spree: Near $1 billion special session could end today
2:30 p.m. CT - SB 6005 - Senate Floor Session - Watch
- The General Assembly’s controlling party could end Gov. Bill Lee’s special session today with a $1 billion spending blitz.
- All six bills are scheduled for final Senate committee votes this morning and could feasibly receive final votes this afternoon on the Senate floor.
Here’s a quick recap of the other bills:
Gov. Lee dedicates $5.6 million to mass deportation czar, grant program
SB 6002 - Watch
- Gov. Bill Lee’s mass deportation legislation creates a government office for a state deportation czar and a grant program for local governments to set up detainment agreements with ICE.
- The legislation also changes drivers license rules for migrant workers and creates a felony for local officials who enact or even vote for “sanctuary city” policies, as determined by the Republican attorney general. But it’s already illegal for local governments to enact “sanctuary city” policies due to an earlier law.
- The divisive law could lead to families being separated and may deter legal migration to Tennessee, where farmers, and businesses are in dire need of labor.
Bill establishes two separate disaster relief funds
SB 6003 - Watch
- Senate Bill 6003 would establish two new government funds:
- Hurricane Helene Interest Payment Fund. TEMA may issue grants from this fund to local governments for the purpose of paying interest costs on money borrowed to pay for eligible disaster recovery costs.
- Response and Recovery Fund. TEMA may issue grants or loans from this fund to “third parties” for the purpose of responding to or recovering from a state of emergency or disaster.
Legislation reduces requirements for unemployment insurance after a disaster
SB 6004
- In addition to suspending needless, state eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits, this bill authorizes TEMA to provide disaster recovery assistance to local governments on public property.
Near $1 billion special session spending spree
HB 6005
- This is the special session appropriations bill, which will almost cost $1 billion.
- $424 million for Gov. Lee’s voucher scam
- $210 million for the Hurricane Helene fund and the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund
- $240 million for TEMA disaster relief grants
- $20 million to rebuild a high school in Carter County
- $23.2 million for Education Department grants
- $5.6 million for Trump-Lee mass deportations
- Only a billion. PHEW. Imagine if the state weren’t run by such steady fiscal conservatives!
New ‘financing authority’ to take on debt for toll roads
SB 6006
- Gov. Bill Lee is asking the legislature to create a new transportation financing entity that can take on debt to finance his toll road projects. By creating a separate entity that finances these privately-run toll road projects, Gov. Lee and Republicans can still proudly say the state is technically “debt free.” We’re so proud.
$1.9 million cash payment to property owners affected by Hurricane Helene
SB 6007
- This legislation was not on Gov. Bill Lee’s agenda, but the political optics of fighting a $1.9 million taxpayer-funded payment for home and business owners whose property was damaged by hurricane flooding seem bad.
- Especially when the governor’s voucher bill is poised to transfer a billion dollars to families enrolled in private schools over the next five years.
Full Calendar
8:30 a.m. Senate State & Local Government
1. *SB6004 by Johnson. (HB6002 by Lamberth.)
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) - Amends TCA Section 50-7-302 and Section 58-2-106. As introduced, authorizes TEMA to assist a political subdivision or local emergency management agency with recovery from disasters and emergencies on public property at the request of the political subdivision or agency; suspends certain eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits for persons in the area of a declared emergency.
2. SB6007 by Crowe. (*HB6007 by Faison.)
Public Funds and Financing - Amends TCA Title 58, Chapter 8 and Title 67, Chapter 5. As introduced, requires the comptroller to disburse payments to property owners whose real or personal property was destroyed or damaged by a FEMA-certified disaster occurring between September 26, 2024, and September 30, 2024, under certain conditions; requires the chief executive officer of a governmental entity to approve the deployment of the governmental entity's personnel and equipment outside its boundaries to another governmental entity that has requested emergency assistance during a disaster.
3. *SB6002 by Johnson. (HB6001 by Lamberth.)
Immigration - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 55. As introduced, creates within the department of safety the centralized immigration enforcement division, to be administered by the chief immigration enforcement officer; establishes a grant program for purposes of promoting the enforcement of federal immigration laws; creates criminal penalties for officials who adopt sanctuary policies and subsequently requires their removal from office upon conviction; requires department of safety to issue lawful permanent residents a temporary driver license, instead of a standard license, to aid in determining voter eligibility for someone who presents a Tennessee driver license as identification.
4. *SB6003 by Johnson. (HB6003 by Lamberth.)
Public Funds and Financing - Amends TCA Title 9, Chapter 4, Part 2. As introduced, creates two funds within the state treasury to be known as the Hurricane Helene interest payment fund and the governor's response and recovery fund; authorizes moneys in each fund to be used to assist with the response to and the recovery from certain declared emergencies.
5. SB6006 by Haile. (*HB6006 by Garrett.)
Public Funds and Financing - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 54. As introduced, creates the Tennessee transportation financing authority to provide financing and refinancing for the development, maintenance, and improvement of transportation facilities within the state; makes related revisions.
11 a.m. Senate Finance
1. *SB6005 by Johnson. (HB6005 by Lamberth.)
Appropriations - As introduced, makes appropriations sufficient for the payment of any lawful expenses of the first extraordinary session of the 114th General Assembly; makes other appropriations related to such extraordinary session.
2. *SB6001 by Johnson. (HB6004 by Lamberth.)
Education - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 49; Title 8 and Title 49. As introduced, enacts the "Education Freedom Act of 2025."
3. *SB6002 by Johnson. (HB6001 by Lamberth.)
Immigration - Amends TCA Title 2; Title 4; Title 5; Title 6; Title 7; Title 8 and Title 55. As introduced, creates within the department of safety the centralized immigration enforcement division, to be administered by the chief immigration enforcement officer; establishes a grant program for purposes of promoting the enforcement of federal immigration laws; creates criminal penalties for officials who adopt sanctuary policies and subsequently requires their removal from office upon conviction; requires department of safety to issue lawful permanent residents a temporary driver license, instead of a standard license, to aid in determining voter eligibility for someone who presents a Tennessee driver license as identification.
4. *SB6003 by Johnson. (HB6003 by Lamberth.)
Public Funds and Financing - Amends TCA Title 9, Chapter 4, Part 2. As introduced, creates two funds within the state treasury to be known as the Hurricane Helene interest payment fund and the governor's response and recovery fund; authorizes moneys in each fund to be used to assist with the response to and the recovery from certain declared emergencies.
5. SB6006 by Haile. (*HB6006 by Garrett.)
Public Funds and Financing - Amends TCA Title 4 and Title 54. As introduced, creates the Tennessee transportation financing authority to provide financing and refinancing for the development, maintenance, and improvement of transportation facilities within the state; makes related revisions.
6. SB6007 by Crowe. (*HB6007 by Faison.)
Public Funds and Financing - Amends TCA Title 58, Chapter 8 and Title 67, Chapter 5. As introduced, requires the comptroller to disburse payments to property owners whose real or personal property was destroyed or damaged by a FEMA-certified disaster occurring between September 26, 2024, and September 30, 2024, under certain conditions; requires the chief executive officer of a governmental entity to approve the deployment of the governmental entity's personnel and equipment outside its boundaries to another governmental entity that has requested emergency assistance during a disaster.