State Sen. Bo Watson is pushing forward with his bill that would allow Tennessee schools to deny unauthorized immigrant students a public education.
“We’ve passed major pieces of legislation in the waning hours of the legislature,” Watson, R-North Chattanooga, said in an interview, “so I’m not worried about running out of time.”
Senate Bill 836 passed the state Senate 19-13 on April 10.
The companion House Bill 793, sponsored by Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland, was placed behind the budget early last week, meaning its progress was delayed until Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s budget passed through the legislature. The budget passed on Wednesday.
Now, the bill would have to pass through the House Finance, Ways and Means Subcommittee to be considered in a full House vote.