Gov. Bill Lee

Some members of Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s own party have raised concerns about the statewide voucher program he proposed last week.

Gov. Bill Lee announced his support Tuesday for expanding a controversial school voucher program to all income levels and areas of Tennessee. The program, which the Lee administration is calling “Education Freedom Scholarships” would give participating families a little over $7,000 to attend private school or homeschool.

Gov. Bill Lee is set to announce his support for a statewide Education Savings Account program next year, expanding from three large counties to every school district in the state, according to two lawmakers.

Governor Bill Lee has announced that he will not ask state lawmakers to pass an extreme risk protection order during the upcoming legislative session. That proposal would have allowed a judge to temporarily prevent people found to be a danger to themselves or others from possessing firearms.

There’s lingering uncertainty about how the General Assembly will wind down its special session, and the latest twist comes from Gov. Bill Lee. He sent lawmakers a list of proposals he wants them to pass. The move is likely an attempt to end an impasse that began last week as the Senate refused to take up more bills.

A measure to expand DNA testing to every felony charge — including white collar crimes — is getting little support from Tennessee lawmakers, some of whom point out the current DNA testing system is beset by backlogs.

The special session focused on public safety in Tennessee is officially happening. It’s set to begin Aug. 21 — as expected. Gov. Bill Lee is asking lawmakers to focus on preventing violent crime, but Democrats say it misses the mark.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican lawmakers and Gov. Bill Lee have approved hundreds of laws in Tennessee this year. Many of the statutes take effect Saturday, including measures on health care for transgender children, police accountability and school safety. Notably, the first proposal introduced by lawmakers is a ban on gender-affirming care for minors. A federal judge has blocked part of it, preventing the state from enforcing a ban on puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors. The judge has allowed the ban on gender-affirming surgeries for youth to take effect. Separately, Republicans have passed legislation to stop public schools and universities from requiring employees to take implicit bias training.

Five months after a shooter killed six people at The Covenant School in Nashville, Gov. Bill Lee will bring lawmakers back to Nashville to cobble together a solution to the mass murder.

Advocates say it won’t help the state’s maternal mortality rate.