School Choice Expansion Passes In Tennessee House, Heads To Gov. Lee’s Desk

Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov

The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –

School choice legislation to expand Tennessee’s Education Savings Account (ESA) pilot program was passed with a 57-35 vote on the House floor yesterday. 

House Bill 0433 (HB0433) has been sponsored by Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis-District 83).

The corresponding Senate Bill 0012 (SB0012) was sponsored by Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga-District 10) and passed on the Senate Floor back in February with a 20-6 vote. 

Previously, the state’s ESA pilot program has only been implemented in Davidson and Shelby Counties. 

While this legislation would have originally only added Hamilton County to the program, it has since been amended to request the inclusion of Knox County as well. 

The pilot program, meant to provide resource funding and school vouchers for lower-income students attending certain “priority schools,” was initially approved by the state legislature in 2019 but got tied up in court for two years.

It has since been alleged that much of the House was not actually in favor of the ESA pilot program back in 2019, with Rep. Bo Mitchell (D-Nashville-District 50) declaring from the House floor that “It [the pilot program] wasn’t passed in this House. It was purchased on that balcony.” 

Tennessee’s Supreme Court eventually declared the pilot program to be constitutional, and it has now been active in Davidson and Shelby Counties for about eight months. 

During the House floor session on April 19^th, HB0433 was conformed to its Senate version, SB0012, and the bill was amended with an updated fiscal note. 

Several House Democrats spoke in opposition of expanding the ESA program, including Rep. Sam McKenzie (D-Knoxville-District 15) who asked the sponsor, “Why would you add two additional counties to an unproven, unsubstantiated program?”

Rep. White responded saying that “Being a pilot program means that we would collect data over the five years, […] This will actually help us collect more data by having more counties.”

Although Democrat Representatives Hakeem of Hamilton County and Johnson G. and McKenzie of Knox County made it clear that they were against it, Republican Rep. Carringer of Knox County stood in support of the bill.

There was also the question of why the ESA pilot program was only being expanded to urban areas when rural communities have many of the same problems and concerns. 

The sponsor responded to this, stating that under the ESA pilot program “You [as a local education agency] have to have three or more priority schools.”

Rep. Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka-District 64) then spoke in favor of the bill.

“In my opinion, we’re killing two birds here with one stone,” he said, “We’re giving the public schools the ability to have smaller classrooms and more money, and we’re giving parents the opportunity to find a better education for their kids.”

The legislation ultimately passed in the House by a 57-35 vote, with Republican Representatives John Crawford, Kirk Haston, Brock Martin, and Jerome Moon abstaining from the vote. 

The 35 nay votes were maintained by Representatives Beck, Camper, Carr, Chism, Clemmons, Darby, Dixie, Freeman, Gant, Glynn, Hakeem, Hardaway, Harris, Hawk, Hemmer, Hicks G, Holsclaw, Jernigan, Johnson G, Jones, Keisling, Love, McKenzie, Miller, Mitchell, Parkinson, Pearson, Powell, Raper, Shaw, Thompson, Towns, Warner, Whitson, and Speaker Sexton.

This legislation, having been passed in both chambers of the legislature, will soon be sent over to Gov. Lee, who has the option to veto the bill, sign it, or allow it to become law without his signature.  

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.