NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Tennessee lawmakers on Tuesday will start their annual session in Nashville with a focus on addressing how the state funds public schools, redrawing legislative and congressional maps and finalizing a new spending plan for the upcoming year.
The legislative session is expected to stretch for several months. Amid his top priorities, Gov. Bill Lee has said he hopes to push legislation that would address how the state funds its public schools. The Republican will unveil the rest of his wish list soon.
Meanwhile, this year, every House seat and about half the Senate are up for reelection.
Lawmakers are returning to the Capitol as cases are exploding in Nashville and across the state. The General Assembly has no plans for a mask mandate, which is similar to previous sessions during the pandemic.