Tennessee school choice bill headed to Gov. Lee’s desk

(The Center Square) – The Education Freedom Act of 2025 is headed to Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s desk after the school choice bill passed both legislative chambers on Thursday.

The measure, which establishes a scholarship program that families can use on educational expenses including private school tuition, passed the House of Representatives 54-44 and the Senate by a count of 40-13.

Lawmakers allocated $149 million for the program’s first year, in which up to 20,000 scholarship are available, with a priority for low-income students. Eligibility is universal the following school year.

The school choice legislation drew arguments from both sides.

Sen. Ken Yager, R-Kingston, said he voted against the bill in past years. but supported it this years because of changes.

“I voted against the bill, Mr. Speaker, because I was concerned about the bill then having an effect on the revenue of the school district,” Yager said. “Gov. Lee recognized that bill and he’s fixed the problem with an act that this bill will hold these schools harmless.”

The raucous debate in the House carried over to the Senate, where Democrats spoke in staunch opposition to the bill.

“There is nothing conservative about rushing into this plan to create the largest entitlement program in the history of our state to spend billions of our taxpayer dollars on privatization schemes,” said Sen Heidi Campbell, D-Nashville. “Tennesseans do not want this and I will be voting against it.”

Democrats had at least one Republican voting with them as Sen. Page Walley, R-Savannah, said he would vote against the bill.

While the Senate continued the school choice debate, the House passed the immigration bill by a vote of 72-22.

The bill creates a Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division to act as a liaison with the Trump administration on immigration. Also included is the establishment of a grant program for law enforcement agencies that participate in a federal immigration program that allows them to perform some immigration duties.

Some senators expressed concerns about a provision that would charge elected officials who vote for sanctuary cities with a Class E felony.

Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, proposed an amendment to the bill that would have removed the criminal penalty during a meeting of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he chairs. The amendment failed and Gardenhire voted against the bill.

Lion staff contributed to this article.