While Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge, says the Tennessee General Assembly will “probably” hammer out an agreement on the governor’s school choice proposal in a conference committee ― the final stop for legislation when the House and Senate are at odds on final language ― House Republican leadership remains optimistic that the two chambers will find common ground before then.
McNally’s prediction is hardly a surprise as the Senate carries Gov. Bill Lee‘s relatively tailored bill to expand a school voucher program while House Republicans have filed a sweeping 39-page omnibus bill that would wrap the program with a slew of other education initiatives.
House Democrats agree the details are likely destined to be hashed out in conference committee.
“I think if any of this moves forward, it’s definitely going to a conference committee,” House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville said Thursday. “The Senate seems to have its heels dug in. The Senate has made its position very clear. The House has its heels dug in. And then Lord knows what the governor’s doing in all this. He’s getting yanked around by the tail, as he usually does, by the legislature.”
Though the two chambers are regularly juggling different versions of legislation, there’s a gaping chasm in content and scope between the leading Senate and House versions, and it comes on the heels of an icy impasse between chambers after the unproductive August special session.
While House leadership continues to indicate a strong commitment to public education reforms included in their omnibus amendment that includes big changes to public school testing and accountability requirements, leaders on Thursday said they are optimistic that the two chambers will be able to bridge the gap.
“My hope is still that this will come together before a conference committee,” said House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland. “But the good news is the House and the Senate are talking to one another. I look forward to those discussions. … I don’t think either side is just locked in stone. We’re all working together.”
House Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, told reporters Thursday that he’s spoken with Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, to request that the two chambers seek to get on the same page before the bills get to their respective finance committees.
“I don’t really want us to make it to a conference committee,” Faison said. “Can we have some teams come together so that members know, they have more exposure, and we have a real idea … what’s gonna be on the House floor.”
“I feel like that’s a good possibility that there can be an agreement,” Faison said. “I’m encouraged with that. I’m cautiously optimistic that we’re going to move forward with what the House is doing.”
Johnson brushed off concerns about the jarring differences between the two proposals.
“I’m not at all alarmed or concerned about the differences between the House and the Senate bill,” he said.
Sexton defends his role, speaker pro tem attending committees
House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, rebuffed criticism from his Republican colleague Rep. Bryan Richey, R-Maryville, who on Tuesday insinuated that pro-voucher Republicans are conspiring to “ram it through” the committee process. During the K-12 Subcommittee on Tuesday, Richey indicated that leadership had “invited an additional member” to the committee, noting the unusual presence of House Speaker Pro Tempore Pat Marsh, R-Fayetteville, who does not sit on the K-12 Subcommittee.
While House rules specifically permit the House Speaker and/or Speaker Pro Tempore to sit and vote on any committee at any time, neither often exercises that right.
“We knew it was going to pass,” Sexton said. “I think most people think it’s because you think you’re gonna break tied vote. That’s not the case.”
Sexton said sometimes he attends committees to “show some support” or to “see what’s going on and answer questions,” or at…
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