Lawmakers expected to vote on vouchers in a special session following President-elect Trump’s inauguration

Governor Bill Lee unveiling his Education Freedom Scholarship plan in late 2023 (Photo by Sky Arnold)

Governor Lee told reporters Wednesday that he’s finalizing plans to call for a special session on his Education Freedom Scholarship Act of 2025 and Hurricane Helene relief for East Tennessee. Once called, that special session is expected to start in late January, following the inauguration of President Donald Trump on January 20 and the start of the legislative session on January 14.

“I think both of em are really important and primary issues for the General Assembly to take up,” said Lee to reporters. “They are important. They’re important for Tennesseans. The Helene relief has a timely nature to it as do parts of the Education (Freedom Scholarship Act).”

The 2025 version of the Education Freedom Scholarship Act, sometimes referred to as vouchers, is similar to the proposal Governor Lee unsuccessfully made last year to allow parents to use taxpayer funds to pay for private school tuition, books, fees, and other expenses. The program would begin in the 2025/26 school year with a maximum of 20,000 participants. At least 10 thousand scholarships would be reserved for students with an economic need, those participating in the existing Education Savings Account program, and students with an identified disability including autism, deaf-blindness, or an intellectual disability.

The Governor’s universal school choice legislation was a key issue in last year’s elections and supporters are hopeful it will find more support in the new General Assembly. The vouchers plan failed to advance out of committee to a floor vote in either chamber last year as member of the House and Senate advanced different versions of the plan and couldn’t come to a compromise on those differences.

Democrats have remained united against vouchers saying it will take money away from public schools and Wednesday morning party leaders provided a statement opposing the special session.

Representative John Ray Clemmons (Photo by Tennessee General Assembly)

“It is inappropriate and highly offensive for Gov. Bill Lee to pair his voucher scam with much-needed relief for northeast Tennessee families. It gives one the impression that he is attempting to use an unspeakable tragedy as a public relations stunt and political leverage with several members of our body who have opposed vouchers in the past. We could have and should have held a special session months ago to accomplish everything we need to do for these devastated communities, but Lee clearly and purposefully waited almost four months until he thought he had enough votes to pass his voucher scam,” said House Democratic Caucus chairman Representative John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville.” There is nothing “Christian” about a man who demonstrates such callous indifference to the lives of Tennesseans and the well-being of entire communities as often as Bill Lee. I trust that my colleagues across the aisle are incensed as I am and that they will hold the line on their opposition to a scam that would decimate public education, blow a hole in our state budget, and directly result in property tax increases in every county.”

Polling has provided mixed results for how voters feel about the Governor’s plan. This week the Beacon Center released a poll showing 67 percent of voters support Governor Bill Lee’s vouchers plan. Other polls have shown Tennesseans far more divided on the issue.

Updated to include quote from Representative Clemmons and Governor Lee.