On Thursday, Jan. 30, the Tennessee House and Senate passed the proposed school choice program, a disaster relief package for those affected by Hurricane Helene and an immigration bill. Now, all three are headed to Lee’s desk for a final signature.

The Tennessee legislature approved Gov. Bill Lee's signature education initiative during a special legislative session.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who has criticized the federal government for "excessive overreach," said the U.S. Education Department should be eliminated during Donald Trump's second term as president. (Courtesy TN.gov) The House and the Senate passed the Education Freedom Act, legislation championed by Gov. Bill Lee.

The Senate sponsor defended the voucher proposal against critics who said it favors affluent families: “It shouldn’t be based on income. It should be universal.”

Governor Bill Lee's school voucher bill is making rapid progress through the Tennessee House, despite opposition from Democratic lawmakers.

Representative Rebecca Alexander and Senator Bobby Harshbarger voted no to Governor Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Scholarship Act, commonly referred to as the school voucher bill. Both lawmakers say their decision came down to what the majority of their constituents favored.

The Tennessee House attached an amendment to the proposal requiring local school boards to approve the program in order to access $2,000 bonuses for teachers.

The bill would effectively allow public money to be used by families across the state to pay for private education costs. It will now head to Gov. Bill Lee's desk.

Burchett previously said many counties in his district don't have private schools but he supports parents having a choice of where their children are educated.

The school voucher program passed at the Tennessee State Capitol but not everyone is celebrating it becoming law.

Both the Senate and House of Representatives have passed Gov. Bill Lee’s statewide expansion of school vouchers, otherwise known as the “Tennessee Education Freedom Act of 2025.”