Tennessee lawmakers on Thursday approved legislation drastically expanding the number of families who can use taxpayer money on private schools regardless of income, a long-sought victory for Republican Gov.

On Thursday, Jan. 30, the Tennessee House and Senate passed the proposed school choice program, a disaster relief package for those affected by Hurricane Helene and an immigration bill. Now, all three are headed to Lee’s desk for a final signature.

In one of the most hotly-contested questions in modern Tennessee political history, the legislature narrowly approved a $430 million private-school voucher program that critics say will grow quickly to $1 billion and endanger the state’s budget.

The Tennessee House of Representatives approved Thursday, Jan. 30, an expansion of the state’s school-voucher program.

A bill seeking to strengthen immigration policies in Tennessee could soon be signed into law by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee.

The Education Freedom Act of 2025 passed the Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday 54-44 as some Republicans joined Democrats in voting no.

Both the Senate and House of Representatives have passed Gov. Bill Lee’s statewide expansion of school vouchers, otherwise known as the “Tennessee Education Freedom Act of 2025.”