The Tennessee General Assembly will convene for a special legislative session on Monday, January 27 to focus on passing the Education Freedom Act, a disaster relief package, and other measures related to immigration, Governor Bill Lee announced on Wednesday.
In November, the Education Freedom Act (HB1/SB1) was filed in the General Assembly by House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin).
The bill would make 20,000 Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) worth $7,075 available for Tennessee students in the 2025-2026 school year.
In addition to creating school choice vouchers, the bill would provide K-12 public school teachers with a $2,000 bonus in the 2025-2026 school year and dedicate 80 percent of all sports wagering dollars to build and maintain public school facilities.
“The majority of Tennesseans, regardless of political affiliation, have made it clear that they support empowering parents with school choice, and the best thing we can do for Tennessee students is deliver choices and public school resources without delay,” Lee, Lamberth, Johnson, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, and House Speaker Cameron Sexton said in a joint statement on Wednesday.
The special session will also see lawmakers work to pass a forthcoming disaster relief package for victims of last year’s Hurricane Helene and future disasters, which will be announced by the governor at a later date.
A total of $450 million in direct disaster relief, according to the governor’s office, will be allocated towards three separate funds under the relief package – Disaster Relief Grants (DRG) Fund, Hurricane Helene Interest Payment Fund, and Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund.
“Hurricane Helene was an unprecedented disaster across rural, at-risk, and distressed communities that cannot shoulder the local cost share of federal relief funds on their own. The state has an opportunity and obligation to partner with these impacted counties and develop innovative solutions for natural disasters going forward,” the governor and state representatives said.
Finally, the special session will see lawmakers considering public safety measures related to illegal immigration to “ensure the state is prepared for federal policy implementation,” the governor’s office said, as President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to immediately order mass deportations and birthright citizenship upon assuming office.
“The American people elected President Trump with a mandate to enforce immigration laws and protect our communities, and Tennessee must have the resources ready to support the Administration on Day One,” the Tennessee state leaders said.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Gov. Bill Lee” by Tennessee Governor’s Office.
