The special session of the Tennessee General Assembly on Monday reflects how President Trump's aggressive agenda has already promoted a Republican member to pursue his priority at the state level.
Governor Bill Lee has proposed new measures to strengthen immigration, including the establishment of the state government's position to adjust the Trump administration's execution policy and directly adjusted.
He called the Diet to revisit the plan to expand the use of public funding in private schools throughout the state.
The next thing that happens in Tennessee may show that conservative states run Trump's widespread policy agenda. Many regular legislative sessions are in progress.
In particular, the majority of the Republican Party in the southern part has gathered for years behind conservative policies. The Biden administration often blamed their decisions and challenged them in court, but the Trump administration is much more likely to be on the same page as them.
“During the Biden administration, the Red State Congress was dissatisfied with seeing whether the Biden administration was doing it,” said David, an advanced director of the state and local government -related companies. Shoner said. “Now they have a happy and excited partner.”
He added, “They will be able to press the envelope as needed.”
Lee also asked the Tennessee Congress to take the third problem in a special session. Disaster assistance for the community in the east corner of the state. At the end of last year, it was devastated by the flood caused by Hurricane Helene's remnants of the rain. Supporters say that working on three issues using special sessions is a way to quickly track high -priority laws by restricting what they can discuss.
“It's only a part of it, because it's only a part of it,” said Cameron Sexton, a member of the Commonwoman, because people would complain, no matter what they were or whatever they would be. He added, “In a very short period of time, we have been able to focus on several problems and truly jump into those topics and explore them.”
Mr. Trump asked other governors to follow the litigation, which is the target of immigration policy. Florida's Governor Ron Desantis has already called for a State Congress in a special session that begins on Monday. He asked them to consider the law to increase the authority of local officials. The legislative leader said that only a part of the governor's proposal would be considered.
Individuals have proposed their own proposals to make Trump's crackdown on unwritten immigrants. In South Calorina, the state council is promoting the requirements for specific hospitals to report data on patient immigration status. Both Georgia and Tennessee members have called for more penalties for cities and local governments that deny the state of the states of the jurisdiction of the “sanctuary”.
The bill introduced in Mississippi last week will create a prize earning hunter program for $ 1,000. In Tennessee, the bill charges the tuition for students who are not documented to attend public schools.
It is too early to tell which bill can be a law.
In Tennessee, Lee supported the founding of what he explained as a new chief immigrant executive officer. He also supported a bill that was further punished by cities and local officials that did not really cooperate with immigration. Representatives may also introduce other bills on this issue.
Judith Clerjun, Director of the Tennessee Immigration and Refugee Allies, states: She added, “It's ridiculous to spend local funds to follow the immigrant family.”
Democratic members who are widely opposed to such policies are accused of performing politics with Hurricane's assistance by pairing with a division of proposals for immigrants and school vouchers in the same special session. did. They are covered by separate bills in a Tennessee session, but some of the other states and parliamentarians are trying to attract important emergency assistance to get the change of party.
“Providing excessively necessary financial assistance and relief to family and communities in Tennessee, which was devastated in September in September, should be our focus and unique priority during this special session.” John Ray Clemmons, the Democratic Party Chairman, said.
However, since the Republican members dominate the majority, there is almost no need for democratic support to pass law.
On Monday, hundreds of students gathered outside the state council after a female student died in a shooting at Nashville High School. When Republican lawmakers passed them, they cast a “CO sick” and accused the limited range of special sessions.
Lee's long -standing approval for a school voucher program throughout the state is probably the weakest in three policy items. Lee's office emphasizes the support of the mayor of the eastern Tennessee, but some of the state boards of education have voted for publicly opposed the plan.
Conservative activists have worked to provide funds to the voucher programs and enhance the selected officials to support them. Republican members promoted the pilot version of Tennessee's largest county in 2019, despite concerns about weakening public education. However, pushes, which are expensive to spend millions of dollars on the entire state plan, will overcome the opposition from conservatives in rural areas that protect local public school districts. I failed.
After the shortage of last year, Lee signaled to encourage members to take up the problem again. His proposal's prospects of this year have been partially supported by Trump, and Trump has repeatedly supported the creation of the federal school selection program. Trump has recently tapped Penny Schwin, a former Tennesie board member of the State Vocaly Program, to serve with the US Ministry of Education.
Until the special session, Republican members have cycled the shining support for the voucher plan, including those from the American First Policy Institute, which are deeply involved in the drafting of the Trump administration's policy agenda. However, it is unknown whether the support is enough to pass the law.
“President Trump, who is in favor of school choices, really helped us,” said Sexston.
This proposal initially assigns a scholarship of about $ 7,000 annually to each of the 20,000 students. Approximately half of the students with disabilities or a family student far below the thrills of income, and have qualified for free or low -priced schools. Thousands of students will be added the next year. It also provides a 2,000 -dollar bonus to a teacher at a public school that teaches this grade.
Danagoldstein and Patricia Matsussei Contributed report.
