[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6363599,"mediaKeyId","2166096-8e1a3c2fae1202d62884a6f89f1f1625","parentId",2166096,"title","Senate Finance Advances Education Freedom Act with $145M–$148M in Scholarships, $2,000 Teacher Bonus","audioSeconds",3662,"startMs",914000,"endMs",4576000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166096-8e1a3c2fae1202d62884a6f89f1f1625&start=914&end=4576","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166096-8e1a3c2fae1202d62884a6f89f1f1625/thumbnail_914000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6363599/Tennessee/Senate-Finance-Advances-Education-Freedom-Act-with-145M148M-in-Scholarships-2000-Teacher-Bonus","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363599-eeef3327facfd2cb790528a71e5783d5/orig.mp4?Expires=1773719478&Signature=AdrwDREyMJgdacJ~NKOkX2O0k4ObB-7VKEdMxMgBIbv4CII7JQCUdqL2VCJMJFN2kQDataPBa6UCzJwfAO8BOIpVngETzV9t5LGmqhPhMzX09drkGYYqmY0lByiwdq7l4mjIdC3vr2~ozBcQBEjS7EsHfpO0T-SVI6P6bqu1XMvmAKoUd-x-bSNz43nlC3l20Cvd1tZpIVP8ubJ4s2zlq9uWy7RF2BMXwFQsQ5Ty4m78KJa3xK28KU8YnRsGqBGnin3VTpbdWFyEe~3elJnJTqLAt2bbOgZqs42gi2xU80M80IVo8X99ude-SMpht4i2FUaCDDYB-7K~wTiydhKhtA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee on Thursday recommended Senate Bill 6001, the Education Freedom Act of 2025, to the calendar after more than two hours of debate about funding sources, eligibility and local impacts.

Leader Senator Jack Johnson, sponsor of the measure, told the committee the bill creates three main elements: a facilities fund for local education agencies funded by 80% of sports-wagering privilege tax revenue; a one-time $2,000 teacher bonus for an estimated 86,000 recipients; and an education scholarship program authorizing 20,000 scholarships equal to the state portion of per-pupil funding.

The sponsor said the facilities fund is intended for capital and maintenance grants and that the fund would be funded by the sports-wagering privilege tax. He said the council’s projected amount for 2025–26 was “just over $77,000,000,” but the committee adopted language to protect lottery-funded programs; as amended the committee’s approach set aside an amount to shore up lottery shortfalls first and left roughly $63,000,000 from the gaming revenue available for the facilities grants in the current projection.

On the teacher bonus, Johnson said the one-time payment would cost about $198,367,600 including employer taxes based on 86,000 eligible recipients.

On scholarships, Johnson described a 20,000-scholarship program, each scholarship equal to the state portion of TISA per-pupil funding (he cited a projected $7,296 figure), which he estimated at roughly $145,920,000 plus $2.7 million in administration for a total of $148,620,000. He also said $144,200,000 toward that program was already included in last year’s budget and explained a \"funding floor\" provision intended to prevent districts from receiving less state funding than in the prior year.

Committee members asked detailed questions about eligibility, access and long-term fiscal exposure. Senator Brenda Yarbrough offered a draft amendment clarifying \"hold harmless\" mechanics for local districts; she explained it would treat students who receive scholarships as if they remained in the public system for funding calculations and said genuinely protecting districts would require substantially more state funding. Yarbrough withdrew that proposed amendment after discussion.

Opponents and skeptical members focused on who would benefit from the scholarships. Senator Raum Lamar and others asked whether the program would mainly subsidize families already in private schools; committee staff and the sponsor cited fiscal estimates showing a portion of scholarships could be used by students already in private schools, but the sponsor said the program’s intent is a universal parental-choice scholarship, with half the scholarship slots prioritized in year one for lower-income households (thresholds were described as up to 300% of the federal free-and-reduced-price lunch income level for that priority tranche).

Committee members pressed for clarity on whether eligibility equates to access; the sponsor confirmed the bill does not require private schools to accept scholarships. Department testimony clarified there is no mandate forcing private schools to participate.

Several members raised long-term budget questions. Senator Joe Yarbrough and others asked how the program could grow beyond the initial 20,000 slots; the sponsor and committee leaders pointed to a statutory growth mechanism (5,000 additional scholarships after 75% utilization) but emphasized future expansion is subject to appropriation by future legislatures. The committee also discussed modeling from other states and uncertainties about private-school capacity.

After debate the committee voted to recommend SB 6001 as amended for passage to the calendar with a roll-call tally recorded by the clerk (committee recommendation: 8 ayes, 3 noes).","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee\tJan 29, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee on Thursday recommended Senate Bill 6001, the Education Freedom Act of 2025, to the calendar after extended debate over scholarship eligibility, funding sources and protections for local districts.","taxTitle","Finance, Ways and Means, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Tennessee","taxId",29604,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6363589,"Senate Finance Backs Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division, $5M Grant Program for Local Agencies",259,4826000,5085000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166096-8e1a3c2fae1202d62884a6f89f1f1625&start=4826&end=5085","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166096-8e1a3c2fae1202d62884a6f89f1f1625/thumbnail_4826000.jpg","/articles/6363589/Tennessee/Senate-Finance-Backs-Centralized-Immigration-Enforcement-Division-5M-Grant-Program-for-Local-Agencies","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363589-870105d0f9744953da85826d065dea08/orig.mp4?Expires=1773719478&Signature=mRe3dH7c1HX9rvj31Tkg4lI8fwpNJrSbIU7cojOzz4zH1pzq2J1Tw52Ateg1HZVCAWWMwt~9aJPQJcNmbePriI5ElpI-TfcIUAsS6289gHWKS89j0zciVo7CrhvGNzgd~Z67IkgYjnYMR57U~YqV7-TOweHWAoJ5im4f-jMlsh2ECy6LUXl3eGpEDmbwFBZwiMYmVOdhleC37baV0QnExZ-ZTkrLlP-WqlbC9xbj1Gk55rPy3D7YaGrI7GhMGqUn~sb6lKpHHUbVnZCRW-flYf3-G46Tpe4GbdfHF10dNSB~xDApjO1faMMTwwj-9huUxflCfo-Rg1-PlUP3dqqlCw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee recommended Senate Bill 6002, which creates a centralized immigration enforcement division in state government, an immigration-enforcement grant program and changes to state identification confidentiality rules.

Chairman Jeremy Watson and committee members described the bill as already having been reviewed in multiple committees. The appropriations impact for creating the division was described as about $500,000 recurring; a $5,000,000 grant program was funded in the appropriations bill.

During debate the committee adopted a finance amendment that modifies the grant program to allow local law‑enforcement agencies to receive grant funds if they enter into a Section 287(g) agreement with the federal government. The amendment also extends confidentiality protections that currently apply to Department of Safety records to records held by the new enforcement division.

The committee recorded a roll‑call vote on the amended bill; the clerk reported the recommendation to the calendar with 10 ayes and one no. Committee discussion made clear appropriations in the companion budget bill provide initial funding for the grant program and the division’s administrative costs.","Senate Bill 6002 would create a centralized immigration enforcement division, a $5 million immigration-enforcement grant program, changes to driver‑license confidentiality protections and a requirement that grants may fund local agencies that enter into 287(g) agreements; committee approved the bill 10–1.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6363594,"Senate Finance Recommends Hurricane Relief Measures: Property tax assistance and $110M interest fund, $100M rapid-response fund",4230,526000,4756000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2166096-8e1a3c2fae1202d62884a6f89f1f1625&start=526&end=4756","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2166096-8e1a3c2fae1202d62884a6f89f1f1625/thumbnail_526000.jpg","/articles/6363594/Tennessee/Senate-Finance-Recommends-Hurricane-Relief-Measures-Property-tax-assistance-and-110M-interest-fund-100M-rapid-response-fund","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6363594-2b58ea7de58f7e10eca3b6f6836d66dc/orig.mp4?Expires=1773719478&Signature=YwmeiqVhcgzkZyTqBAbvVyRlonwtLteGjm1bZnvaOjn9ige-XVWPD6GyTmLrjHxWMipAwU-F9vDN3IYMy2XOTdoNSOgfIwArvn-NylbP6xz7vX3QbBKGBP0yUIVspvlIAhrzTctXEIpSqa2unH-Xio4~Do~jsQhTryfnEh0N2nsbF33vb2mI08eKB3FDiRqlATZztfvzcJoJNvC3UNDb5R3UN308OU5J5Z9t1ZlHuXhGUMSkI-RtiOO44x5rx-B2jEvhBg~n58lfUapkyGiAC2L00KcUbNeUl74i~FI1QavRZ1vgiSHTxMMfT6WkeCWHq-LdiWHwM7yQEhzc7Tv4tA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee recommended two disaster‑recovery measures to the calendar designed to aid counties hit by Hurricane Helene and to give the state rapid‑response tools for future natural disasters.

Senator Jeremy Crow presented Senate Bill 6007, which he said provides tax-payment assistance for owners of taxable residential and business property (excluding state-assessed properties) damaged by the hurricane in Carter, Cox, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties. Crow explained the program pays an assistance amount equal to the property’s 2024 tax levy plus 30 percent; the bill limits one payment per property if multiple owners file.

Crow said the bill also clarifies mutual‑aid rules allowing county CEOs, utility‑district CEOs and specified emergency‑management officials to authorize cross‑jurisdictional mutual aid for equipment and supplies. The committee adopted a finance amendment; committee staff explained the package raised a revised fiscal note of approximately $2,319,700 for the current fiscal year and a multi‑year total in the fiscal note (committee discussion placed the first‑year cost at about $2.32 million).

The committee adopted the amendment and took a roll‑call vote; the clerk recorded 11 ayes and zero nos and recommended SB 6007, as amended, for passage to the calendar.

Separately, Leader Johnson presented Senate Bill 6003, which the committee also recommended. SB 6003 creates (1) an interest payment fund to subsidize local governments’ borrowing costs for recovery loans (up to 5 percent annually for up to three years) and (2) a Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund — a $100,000,000 rapid-response appropriation for recovery and response needs. Johnson said $110,000,000 was proposed in the appropriations act for the interest fund. He said unused funds in these accounts would remain available for future disasters rather than reverting to the general fund.

Both measures passed committee by recorded vote and were recommended for passage to the calendar; staff and members noted some costs may later be reimbursed by FEMA or other federal sources.","The Senate Finance committee recommended bills that provide tax-assist payments to property owners in nine counties wounded by Hurricane Helene and created funds to cover local loan interest and a $100M rapid response and recovery fund for future disasters.","actionData","errors"]

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Senate Finance Advances Education Freedom Act with $145M–$148M in Scholarships, $2,000 Teacher Bonus

Senate Finance Backs Centralized Immigration Enforcement Division, $5M Grant Program for Local Agencies

Senate Finance Recommends Hurricane Relief Measures: Property tax assistance and $110M interest fund, $100M rapid-response fund