School Choice Expansion Bill Will Only Benefit Hamilton County In Last Minute Legislative Action On Floor
Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
On Friday, school choice legislation to expand Tennessee’s Education Savings Account (ESA) pilot program to two additional counties hit a last minute snag as lawmakers sought to wrap up the 113th legislative session.
In a vote on Wednesday, House Bill 0433 (HB0433), sponsored by Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis-District 83), passed on the House floor with a 57 to 35 vote but the Senate then refused to concur with the House amendment that added Knox County to the bill the following day.
Corresponding Senate Bill 0012 (SB0012), sponsored by Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga-District 10) passed on the Senate Floor back in February with a 20-6 vote. That version of the bill added only Hamilton County to the state’s ESA pilot program for Davidson and Shelby Counties.
Initially approved by the Tennessee General Assembly in 2019, the pilot program meant to provide resource funding and school vouchers for lower-income students attending certain “priority schools” was tied up in court for two years.
Tennessee’s Supreme Court has since declared the program to be constitutional. Around 500 students have been enrolled in the program within the last eight months that it has been active. White said that another 1,500 have started the application process to receive vouchers. There will be a cap of 5,000 students that can take advantage of the program in Hamilton County that has three priority schools.
Representative Sam McKenzie (D-Knoxville-District 15) pointed out on Friday that the original pilot program has not had time to run its course and disagreed with adding additional counties before the original five-year pilot has been completed.
Representative Yusuf Hakeem (D-Chattanooga-District 28) objected to the bill, saying that district representatives had not been consulted. “Someone feels they know better than the people that are impacted,” Hakeem said, referring to Senate sponsor Todd Gardenhire.
Referring to the eight months the program has been open for enrollment, Representative Bryan Richey (R-Maryville-District 20) said, “Five hundred families deciding to send their kids through this particular program in that short period of time shows that it is something that is needed.”
Richey, who supports the legislation, said that the additional 1,500 applications from families currently in process is proof of “the increased desire for folks across this state” for additional school choice options.
The bill to include only Hamilton County, in concurrence with the Senate, passed the House 57 to 27 with 5 Republicans present but not voting.
Representatives Rush Bricken (R-Tullahoma-District 47), John Crawford (R-Bristol/Kingsport-District 1), Tandy Darby (R-Greenfield-District 76), Jerome Moon (R-Maryville-District 8) and Kevin Raper (R-Cleveland-District 24) declined to cast a vote on the matter.
Republicans voting against expanding school choice to Hamilton County were Dale Carr (R-Sevierville-District 12), David Hawk (R-Greeneville-District 5), Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill-District 92), Sam Whitson (R-Franklin-District 65) and Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville-District 25).
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
It’s time to get rid of the Rhino’s in our House and Senate. I’m going to make a concerted effort to do all I can to elect true Conservatives to move our State forward. We have got to save the babies that are murdered daily, get these children out of failing schools, regardless of their parent’s income. Get people off of welfare who can work everyday like a citizen should. I’m sick of liars, criminals, and pedophiles getting away with murder, castration of our children and people lying to destroy our state.