NASHVILLE – State House members voted Thursday to heavily restrict collective bargaining for teachers following more than four hours of sometimes contentious debate.
Republican proponents said the measure will benefit students, but Democrats called it a politically inspired attack on teachers and their union, the 52,000-member Tennessee Education Association.
The vote was 59-39, with six Republicans lining up with Democrats against the bill.
GOP majority leaders successfully imposed rules twice to limit debate, first to five minutes for each member and later, as debate dragged on, to two minutes. Several Democrats found their microphones cut off in the middle of making a point.
“Why does the majority fear debate?” asked House Minority Leader Craig Fitz-hugh, D-Ripley. “I’ve never seen it since I’ve been here. I hope you ask yourselves that question: Why does the majority fear debate on this issue?”