NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Senate has approved legislation expanding the state’s education voucher program into Hamilton County, which would allow low-income families to use public tax dollars to send their children to private schools willing to accept the annual $8,100 vouchers.
Nineteen Republicans voted in favor of Senate Bill 12, and six Democrats voted no. Another eight Republicans either voted present or didn’t take part in Thursday’s vote. The measure now goes to the Republican-controlled House.
The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, who described to Senate colleagues how in 2019 he and fellow local lawmakers agreed to keep Hamilton County Schools out of Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s Education Savings Account bill.
“I want to give the parents and the students the opportunity to have a choice and not be trapped in failing schools,” Gardenhire told senators. “Whether you like the ESA bill or not, it’s here and passed its legal challenges.”