Republican Gov. Bill Lee on Wednesday doubled down on his efforts to enact universal school vouchers throughout Tennessee by ordering the GOP-dominant Statehouse to pause their regular legislative duties and focus on passing a bill that would allow families to use public dollars for private school tuition.

Gov. Bill Lee called a special session Wednesday for late January when Tennessee lawmakers will be asked to take up his private-school voucher bill, immigration measures and a plan to provide funding for hurricane-ravaged counties in Northeast Tennessee,

Rep. William Lamberth (R-Portland) and Sen. Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) introduced the Education Freedom Act of 2025.

Gov. Bill Lee announced Wednesday that he'll call Tennessee lawmakers into a special session this month to take up his statewide school voucher proposal, as well as "public safety measures" to prepare for immigration policies under President-elect Donald Trump's administration.

Gov. Bill Lee is calling a special legislative session focused on his latest effort to pass a statewide school voucher plan. Lee said the special session, which starts Jan. 27, will also include Hurricane Helene recovery efforts and "public safety measures related to illegal immigration.