NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Tennessee lawmakers closed out their annual legislative session Thursday, striking a deal that would let a politically appointed panel remove books from public school libraries statewide through a new veto power over local school board decisions.
The Republican-supermajority Legislature also worked out last differences on an education funding formula overhaul sought by Gov. Bill Lee and tougher campaign finance and ethics rules amid a federal investigation that has already seen one House Republican plead guilty and resign.
Those proposals and others head to the Republican governor, concluding a session in which lawmakers pushed further on conservative hot-button issues – targeting transgender athletes, imposing scrutiny over school libraries and blocking COVID-19 safety requirements.
The election-year session began in January.
Advocates of strict scrutiny of the materials in public school libraries said changes were necessary to boost transparency, their calls coming amid a national spike in book challenges and bans. School librarians in particular have become the target of scorn from Republican lawmakers in a push for more oversight of those contents provided to children – especially those touching on racism and LGBTQ issues.