Tennessee lawmakers approve $52.8B spending plan as hopes of school voucher agreement flounder

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s Republican-dominant Statehouse approved a $52.8 billion spending plan Thursday for the upcoming fiscal year that includes an eye-popping $1.95 billion tax break and refund for businesses, but little new tax relief for most Tennessee families.

Even with the budget approved in the House and Senate, lawmakers still remained largely divided on whether they’ll advance any proposal to spend vastly more public money to send students to private schools throughout the state. In a budget crafted during slowing state revenues, it sets aside $144 million for a universal school voucher bill that has not passed, in case the deadlock breaks in the final days of the annual session.

Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has made universal school vouchers his top legislative priority. However, even with a GOP supermajority, the massive change faced an uphill battle as many rural lawmakers have remained hesitant about funneling their limited public dollars away from local schools.

Legislative leaders conceded Wednesday that hopes of a last-minute voucher solution were dwindling. The upcoming weekend offers a final negotiation opportunity to resolve the glaring differences between the House and Senate.

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