NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Governor Bill Lee's Education Freedom Scholarship Act, which would use tax dollars to fund $7,000 scholarships for students to go to private school if their parents choose, passed the last committee required before it can head to the House and Senate floors for a final vote.
The bill passed the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee 8-3 Wednesday, with one Republican, Sen. Page Walley (R-Savannah), voting against the measure.
Lawmakers filed a lengthy amendment to the bill hours before it went up for debate in committees, which included a provision requiring school districts to pass a resolution promising to participate in the school voucher program in order for their teachers to be eligible for the $2,000 one-time bonus included in the bill.
The amendment also created a "funding floor," which Republicans said would ensure school districts wouldn't lose Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) funding, which is based on the number of students enrolled in the district, due to disenrollment from vouchers. Democrats argued the fiscal note, which reads "The net decrease in state expenditures [TISA] and the corresponding net decrease in local revenue is estimated to be $44,933,557," proves otherwise.
Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) pointed out that 51 out of Tennessee's 95 counties don't have private schools, meaning certain students wouldn't be able to benefit. In addition, she criticized the fiscal note in the bill that says the majority of the students likely to use the vouchers would be those who already attend private schools.
Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) responded by saying the governor has always wanted the program to be universal, meaning everyone would have access.
"I'm quite confident there are probably single mothers in your district, or in Nashville, or in my district, or whoever who are making sacrifices — working two or three jobs so they can get their child into a private school, and they've been doing this for the last several years," Johnson said. "Why should they be disqualified from applying for this scholarship?"
Republicans were quick to correct Democrats for using the term "voucher" when the word isn't included in the bill. Sen. Yarbro resisted.
"Scholarships," Sen. Bo Watson, chairman of the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee corrected. "It is what it is. Call it what it is, Senator."
"You can't change the definition of what a voucher is," Sen. Yarbro said. "The legislative terminology can say that, but you can't change what an actual government funding tool is."
The bill will be debated on the House and Senate floors Thursday.
