By Associated Press
Nashville, TN – A proposal to limit teacher's collective bargaining rights in Tennessee is advancing after the House speaker stepped in once again to cast a tiebreaking vote. The measure passed the House Finance Committee Wednesday. Republican House Speaker Beth Harwell says she broke the tie because of her commitment to GOP caucus members to allow a vote on the House floor. In March, Harwell broke a subcommittee deadlock on the proposal. The House Finance Committee recently declined to take up a version similar to one passed by the Senate earlier this month to more thoroughly dismantle union negotiations. The version that passed Wednesday changes the bill back to exempting areas like evaluations and merit pay from negotiations, but stops short of abolishing bargaining altogether.