TN House passes bill allowing armed teachers year after Nashville shooting
Some opponents of the bill hope liability concerns may make teachers and schools think twice before adopting the program.
There are 803 article(s) tagged Bill Lee:
Some opponents of the bill hope liability concerns may make teachers and schools think twice before adopting the program.
Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee campaigned on vouchers in both 2018 and 2022, but the bill’s chances of becoming law appeared in jeopardy last week. Lawmakers questioned the cost, the effect on private schools and the changing nature of the legislation.
Even with the budget approved in the House and Senate, lawmakers still remained divided on whether they’ll advance any proposal to spend vastly more public money to send students to private schools throughout the state.
The Tennessee bill says law enforcement agencies and officials “shall” cooperate in various immigration tasks already spelled out in state law, instead of saying they “are authorized” to do so.
The bill says the video, produced by an anti-abortion group, must be shown as part of a school’s family life curriculum.Related story:
Bill Lee signed a law that nullifies a Memphis ordinance that banned pretextual stops, which was passed in 2023 after Tyre Nichols’ death.
Tyre Nichols’ parents have released a letter asking to sit down with Gov. Bill Lee before he signs a bill that would ban traffic stop ordinances like the one passed by the Memphis City Council. Tyre Nichols’ parents furious after meeting with state Sen. Brent TaylorRelated story:
In a rare action, the state Board of Education passed a resolution questioning whether the 2021 law targets the right age group.
“The state of our state is strong, resilient and ready for the future,” Gov. Bill Lee told the audience of state lawmakers and other officials within the House chamber at the Tennessee State Capitol in Downtown Nashville. Gov. Lee proposes $1.2 billion in business tax refunds, $410 million annual cutRelated story:
The tax cut is among the biggest expenses in the governor’s budget, and comes as state revenues are stagnating. Lee argues the state can afford it because revenue is stabilizing at a level significantly above where it was a few years ago.
Also happening this week: The Memphis City Council votes on extending health benefits to themselves, and Monday is the first day to pull qualifying petitions for August state and federal primary elections.
Gov. Bill Lee has now appointed a majority of the Tennessee Supreme Court’s justices.
The details of the Education Freedom Scholarship Act draft — which was filed and quickly withdrawn on Monday — conform to those Gov. Bill Lee laid out when he announced the proposal in late November.
“Lee thinks his voucher program will become a national model. The lies told to get it, and the threats and pressure brought to bear, have already made it a national embarrassment.”
A legal challenge to Tennessee’s private school voucher law is back on track after a state appeals court ruled that a lower court erred in dismissing the case.
Bill Lee has held office as a “conservative education revolution” has swept states controlled by Republicans.
Memphis’ homicide rate, school vouchers and passenger rail were among the topics discussed on this week’s “Behind The Headlines.”
The Tennessee governor has granted one commutation and 22 pardons, including a Sevier County woman convicted of first-degree murder. Two of those receiving pardons are from Shelby County.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and state House Speaker Cameron Sexton say the fine print of a new, expanded school-voucher bill will include accountability standards for private schools and home-schooled students.
The list of government entities opposing a school voucher program continues to grow as the Lakeland School Board passes a resolution against Gov. Bill Lee’s plan.
The General Assembly approved private school vouchers by a one-vote margin in 2019, with some supporting the program because it applied only to Memphis and Nashville. Now, Lee wants anyone, regardless of income, to have access to discounted private school tuition.
State lawmakers narrowly approved the so-called education savings accounts initiative for the three counties in 2019.
More than 50 troopers will contribute to an ongoing “surge” over the next few weeks, after state Sen. Brent Taylor pleaded for more help fighting crime in Memphis.
Economists say the days of massive budget surpluses are over, but the state remains in a solid financial position. And the economy is not in a recession.
U.S. Rep. David Kustoff and Tenneessee Gov. Bill Lee visited the East Memphis school to also look over new security measures funded with state and federal grants since a July incident on campus.