Tennesee Governor Bill Lee (R) announced that he would hold a special session beginning January 27 to address how it will implement the policies of the incoming Trump administration.
“Today, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced that he will call for the Tennessee General Assembly to convene a special session on Monday, January 27, to pass the Education Freedom Act. Additionally, the Governor will introduce a disaster relief legislative package addressing recovery needs for Hurricane Helene, as well as future natural disasters,” a news release from the governor’s office says. “The session will also address public safety measures regarding illegal immigration, as the incoming Trump Administration has called on states to prepare for policy implementation.”
In a joint statement, Lee, Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, House Speaker Cameron Sexton, Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, and House Majority Leader William Lamberth said they believe Tennessee “has a responsibility to act quickly on issues that matter most to Tennesseans, and there is widespread support in the General Assembly and across Tennessee for a special session on the most pressing legislative priorities: the unified Education Freedom Act and a comprehensive relief package for Hurricane Helene and other disaster recovery efforts.”
“The majority of Tennesseans, regardless of political affiliation, have made it clear that they support empowering parents with school choice, and the best thing we can do for Tennessee students is deliver choices and public school resources without delay. Additionally, Hurricane Helene was an unprecedented disaster across rural, at-risk, and distressed communities that cannot shoulder the local cost share of federal relief funds on their own. The state has an opportunity and obligation to partner with these impacted counties and develop innovative solutions for natural disasters going forward,” the statement continued.
“Finally, the American people elected President Trump with a mandate to enforce immigration laws and protect our communities, and Tennessee must have the resources ready to support the Administration on Day One.”
The special session mirrors one called by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R). “Florida needs to make sure that we do not have any lingering incentives for people to come into our state illegally,” he said. “So, therefore, I’m going to call the legislature into special session starting the week of Jan. 27. We have the next president taking office January 20th, and we anticipate executive orders to be issued immediately after the swearing-in and the inaugural address.”
“We need to act, and we need to act quickly,” DeSantis added. “We don’t have time to waste. The American people spoke very clearly. Of all the issues out there, and there were a lot of very important issues, this issue of the border and illegal immigration was one of the top issues in the 2024 election.”