TBA Law Blog

TBA Law Blog

Legislative Committees Advance Special Session Proposals

Posted by: Stacey Shrader Joslin on Jan 29, 2025

State legislative committees met recently to consider special session proposals. Gov. Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Act of 2025 (SB6001/HB6004) passed out of the House and Senate Education Committees as amended and is expected to be on the House and Senate floors on Thursday, the Nashville Post reports. The move came after President Donald Trump spoke publicly in support of the initiative. During committee consideration, an amendment was added to specify that $77 million in the bill for school infrastructure would first be used to bolster the HOPE scholarship if a shortage occurs in that fund. The amendment also specifies that infrastructure funds would go first to schools in economically distressed or at-risk counties, followed by those that are high-performing and then those in fast-growth areas. House and Senate committees also considered immigration legislation (SB6002/HB6001). Funding for local governments that agree to crack down on undocumented immigrants was reduced from $20 million, as proposed by the governor, to just more than $5 million. In addition, state Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, split from his party to oppose a provision charging local elected officials with a felony if they support sanctuary city laws. Gardenhire called the provision a slippery slope and argued that elected officials should not be punished for taking a political stance. The amended bill passed the Senate with a vote of 26-7; the House is scheduled to vote tomorrow. The Nashville Banner has more on this bill.

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