TN Gov. Bill Lee announces Special Session on Jan. 27
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WDEF) — Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Wednesday that he will call for a special session with the Tennessee General Assembly on Monday, January 27.
This special session will be held to address three bills
The following are the three bills, and what all they intel via the Governor’s Office:
Education Freedom Act
Gov. Lee and legislative leadership introduced the unified Education Freedom Act (SB1/HB1) on November 6, 2024 with the recognition that every Tennessee child deserves to attend the school that best fits their unique needs, regardless of income or zip code.
In addition to establishing Education Freedom Scholarships, the Act further invests in public schools and teachers by delivering teacher bonuses to recognize their unwavering commitment to student success, increasing K-12 facilities funding, and ensuring state funding to school districts will never decrease due to disenrollment. Gov. Lee and the General Assembly will maintain their commitment to public schools by further investing hundreds of millions of state dollars in the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) formula, and raising starting teacher pay.
Learn more at TNEducationFreedom.com.
Hurricane Helene + Disaster Relief
Hurricane Helene was an unprecedented disaster that primarily impacted at-risk and distressed counties, with eligible damage-related costs estimated at $1.2 billion. Gov. Lee proposes immediate legislative and budgetary action to support ongoing recovery efforts and allow for proactive preparation for future emergencies. The comprehensive plan invests more than $450 million in direct disaster relief. Key components of the plan include:
Disaster Relief Grants (DRG) Fund: $240 million to bolster Tennessee’s existing disaster relief fund, as well as reduce the local cost-share burden from 5% to 5% and fund the state match requirement in order to access federal funds and cover administrative costs.
Hurricane Helene Interest Payment Fund: $110 million to establish a new fund that will help local governments manage loan interest for recovery costs by covering interest costs at 5% per year for three years on loans for recovery expenses.
Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund: $100 million to create a new program inspired by the HEAL Program that will provide flexible financial resources for future emergencies, including agricultural recovery, unemployment assistance, and business recovery efforts.
$20 million for the rebuilding of Hampton High School in Carter County, which was significantly damaged in Hurricane Helene.
Public Safety + Immigration
The Tennessee General Assembly will consider public safety measures related to immigration to ensure the state is prepared for federal policy implementation.
Last year, Gov. Lee directed key state agencies to begin making preparations and stand ready on Day One of the Trump Administration to support efforts to secure our Nation’s borders and keep communities safe.
Other bills from Tennessee lawmakers will be considered later in the regular session.
