Three bills proposing the use of public tax money for private schools in Tennessee have created a divide between the House and Senate Republicans and Gov. Bill Lee. The bills present three different proposals with no consensus among the lawmakers. House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons questions the purpose of pushing through legislation that lacks agreement among the branches of government. Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton states that they are focused on passing the House version of the bill and are in a good position with their proposal. Senate Republicans have expressed a similar sentiment, with Senate Education Chair Jon Lundberg emphasizing their laser-focus on their own legislation.
The House version of the bill includes multiple provisions related to public schools, such as cheaper insurance for teachers, while the Senate has not confirmed that these additional issues are dealbreakers. Both sides are considering a Conference Committee to resolve the differences between the bills, a decision taken when the two chambers cannot find common ground. The General Assembly previously resorted to a Conference Committee during last year’s special session when the Senate refused to pass any legislation. In the current situation, the lack of agreement between the House and Senate Republicans and the Governor is driving the need for further discussions to reach a compromise. Stay updated on the latest developments on wkrn.com.
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