Wilson County Commission adopts resolution opposing state voucher plan ahead of special session

The Wilson County Commission on Jan. 21 adopted a resolution opposing Gov. Bill Lee’s proposed Education Freedom Scholarship Act, a voucher plan the state plans to debate during a special session beginning Jan. 27.

The resolution was introduced and read at the meeting after commissioners suspended the rules to treat the item as an emergency. Commissioner Breese, co-sponsoring the measure with Commissioner Marlow, said the timing was urgent because the special session would likely decide the bill before the commission met again.

The resolution states the commission’s position that the county’s public schools should receive state funds “without diverting any funds to private education” and cites concerns about local budget impacts and protections for vulnerable students. Commissioner Breese said the measure was intended to “protect our tax dollars, our students, our teachers, and our school district.”

Commissioners debated whether to wait for the Wilson County Board of Education to consider its own resolution on Thursday and whether to seek a county exemption rather than an outright opposition. Commissioner Gentry suggested the commission should wait until full bill text was available and consider requesting an exemption or sending targeted guidance to state legislators.

After discussion, the commission approved the resolution. The vote on the floor was recorded as passing with one dissenting vote.

The commission’s action is a policy statement to state lawmakers; it does not change local funding or county law and expresses the county governing body’s position ahead of the state’s special session.

The school board’s resolution was expected to be considered Thursday, Jan. 23, and commissioners said they coordinated with school board members while preparing the measure.