This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters.
The two Republican lawmakers who introduced bills this spring to change who controls Memphis-Shelby County Schools say the push for a state takeover isn’t finished.
Rep. Mark White and Sen. Brent Taylor told WKNO/Channel 10’s “Behind the Headlines” this month that their legislation to establish a state-appointed “board of managers” overseeing the district will be fast-tracked to pass this spring.
That’s because the lawmakers’ two versions of the legislation — which include some key differences — each passed one chamber by April, then stalled. Now, Taylor and White said they’re waiting for results from the $6 million independent audit of the district, which started this month, to best inform how they’ll combine the bills come January.
“They’re sitting there fully ready to go,” White said. “All we have to do when we go back in January, if the timing is right, is just line them up, kinda like the Big Beautiful Bill that Congress just did.”