State House, Senate Pass Education Freedom Act, Other Lee Agenda Items; Opponents Hit Voucher Measure

The Tennessee Senate and House on Thursday passed HB 6004/SB 6001 – The Education Freedom Act. The new legislation, when signed by Governor Bill Lee – who called a special session to advance it – will establish the state’s first universal Education Savings Account for families.

The Tennessee House of Representatives voted 54-44 in support, and the Tennessee Senate voted 20-13 in favor.

Advocates of the Education Freedom Act said it includes more than $350 million in new education funding to support Tennessee students, including $150 million to fund more than 20,000 ESAs and $198 million to pay public-school teachers one-time bonuses of $2,000.

Tennessee Education Association President Tanya T. Coats, a veteran Knox County educator, said, “Tennessee’s educators are disheartened by the rushed way statewide vouchers passed the Tennessee General Assembly during the extraordinary session called by Governor Bill Lee.

“Four days – that’s all the time provided to consider a statewide voucher plan and a massive appropriations bill, with just a few hours of actual deliberation. This is a disservice to the students in Tennessee’s public schools, and damages public faith in the process when families, educators, and voters were eager to continue engaging in meaningful conversations about what’s best for our students, schools, and communities.

"While we are grateful for the much-needed relief that will finally reach disaster-stricken communities in Northeast Tennessee, we share the sentiment of many local officials who have expressed dismay that universal vouchers were included in the call for the special session.

“We would have preferred to see relief dollars in a separate appropriations bill from the funds for universal vouchers to avoid the perception that funding for vouchers and providing relief to Tennesseans who are still suffering in the aftermath of a natural disaster were tied together.

“We thank the legislators who stood with their communities, families, and educators by voting against the statewide voucher bill. We are also grateful to the thousands of parents and community members who reached out to their elected officials with concerns about universal vouchers."

The General Assembly passed the full Lee agenda, including the Education Freedom Act, a comprehensive disaster relief package, and public safety measures "to prepare Tennessee to assist in implementation of the Trump Administration’s illegal immigration policies."

Governor Lee said, “This week, in partnership with the General Assembly, Tennessee passed meaningful legislation to address three pressing issues that President Trump and Tennesseans overwhelmingly support – the Education Freedom Act, additional disaster relief for East Tennesseans, and measures to halt illegal immigration. I thank Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally, Speaker Cameron Sexton, Leader Jack Johnson, Leader William Lamberth, and members of the General Assembly for acting swiftly to pass conservative policies that will guarantee opportunity, security, and freedom for the people of our state.”

He said the Education Freedom Act SB6001/HB6004: "Establishes Education Freedom Scholarships, Tennessee’s first-ever universal school choice program, and further invests in public schools by delivering teacher bonuses to recognize their unwavering commitment to student success, increasing K-12 facilities funding, and ensuring state funding to school districts will never decrease due to disenrollment."

SB6005/HB6005: Appropriates $145.9 million for Education Freedom Scholarships (the General Assembly previously appropriated $144.2 million in the 2024 legislative session), $198.4 million for teacher bonuses, $77.2 million for K-12 infrastructure directed from existing sports wagering revenue, and $2.7 million for administrative costs.

The Governor's Office said, "Governor Lee and the General Assembly will maintain their commitment to public schools by further investing hundreds of millions of state dollars in the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) formula and raising starting teacher pay during the regular legislative session."

SB6003/HB6003: Creates two disaster relief funds to support ongoing recovery efforts and allow for proactive preparation for future emergencies:
Hurricane Helene Interest Payment Fund: $110 million to establish a new fund that will help local governments manage loan interest for recovery costs by covering interest costs at five percent per year for three years on loans for recovery expenses.

Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund: $100 million to create a new program inspired by the HEAL Program that will provide flexible financial resources for future emergencies, including agricultural recovery, unemployment assistance, and business recovery efforts.
SB6004/HB6002: Allows the Commissioner of the Department of Labor and Workforce Development to provide relief by allowing the ability to waive requirements as-needed for claimants seeking unemployment benefits and clarifies Tennessee Emergency Management Agency’s (TEMA) statutory authority to assist with disaster recovery on public property at the request of local jurisdictions.

SB6005/HB6005: Appropriates $110 million to the Hurricane Helene Interest Payment Fund, $100 million to the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund, $240 million to TEMA to reduce political subdivisions’ cost share obligations of the non-federal portion of disaster recovery costs, and $20 million for the reconstruction of Hampton High School in Carter County, which was significantly damaged in Hurricane Helene.
Public Safety + Illegal Immigration

SB6002/HB6001: Creates a robust framework to strengthen immigration enforcement across Tennessee by creating a new division within the Department of Safety, supporting local law enforcement participation in federal programs, and revisiting state-issued identification policies:

Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division (CIEO): Creates a new division within the Department of Safety to ensure efficient resource allocation and effective enforcement of immigration laws. Appointed by the Governor, the Chief Immigration Enforcement Officer (CIEO) will coordinate directly with the Trump Administration on federal immigration policies and implementation.

Raises standards for obtaining state-issued IDs: Restricts eligibility for state-issued IDs to U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and individuals with federal authorization for a specified period, introduces visually distinctive markers on temporary licenses issued to non-citizens, and mandates proof of citizenship for renewal or reinstatement of driver licenses.
Local accountability: Creates a Class E felony offense for local officials who adopt or maintain sanctuary city policies in violation of state law and empowers the Tennessee Attorney General to initiate removal proceedings for officials convicted of violating anti-sanctuary city provisions.

Incentivizes local government participation in enforcement of federal immigration policies: Incentivizes local governments to enter into agreements with federal authorities under the 287(g) program to assist with immigration law enforcement, detention, and removal efforts and establishes penalties for officials who fail to comply with enforcement mandates.
Creates Immigration Enforcement Grant Program: Establishes $5 million grant fund for local governments to assist with training law enforcement officers, operational expenses and purchasing necessary equipment, and other eligible activities to support federal and state immigration policies.

Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) said, “This special session scored many victories for the people of Tennessee. One more piece of the education reform puzzle has been put in its proper place. No longer will students be trapped by circumstance and geography. Parents across the state finally have a true choice in education. And we are now thoroughly prepared to assist President Trump in the enforcement of our immigration laws and the deportation of violent criminals and felons. And most importantly, the people of East Tennessee will have the relief they need as they rebuild after Helene. I want to thank Governor Lee, Speaker Sexton, Leaders Johnson and Lamberth and every member of the General Assembly for their work. This was a highly productive week for the people of Tennessee.”

-Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) said, “I am proud of the work we’ve accomplished in this special session to address timely issues that matter to Tennesseans. We passed legislation empowering parents to choose the best educational path for their children, positioned Tennessee to work alongside President Trump in enforcing immigration laws to protect our communities, and provided critical relief and support to those impacted by Hurricane Helene. Tennessee continues to be leading the nation in these efforts and I am grateful to Governor Lee and my colleagues in the General Assembly for their commitment to improving the lives of Tennesseans and making our state an even better place to live, work, and raise a family.”

House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) said, “Today, the legislature delivered a major victory for Tennessee families. We empowered parents with the freedom to choose the best education for their children, took bold action to align with President Trump’s immigration plan to protect our communities, and provided critical relief to East Tennesseans recovering from Hurricane Helene. These steps strengthen our state, uphold the rule of law, and put Tennesseans first. I’m grateful for the leadership of my colleagues and Governor Lee as we continue making Tennessee the best state in the nation. The monumental success of this special session launches a new, transformative era for Tennessee."

Americans For Property - Tennessee State Director Tori Venable said, “We've been entrenched in the fight for educational freedom here for many, many years. Tennessee families won today; future generations of Tennesseans will now have access to more freedom and opportunity. We believe when people have freedom and opportunity, they are capable of extraordinary things.

“Our grassroots organization has long advocated for school choice, reaching nearly 200,000 Tennesseans at their doors and on the phone in the last year alone. We’re extremely proud to see this massive win after combined years of policy and political work to empower parents across the Volunteer State.

"We'd like to give a special thanks to Governor Lee and state lawmakers for writing and passing this transformative piece of legislation. We’re thrilled to help Tennessee students receive the best quality education that fits their unique, individual needs because we know it can change the trajectory of their lives."