KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The House Education Administration Committee passed a bill, including Gov. Bill Lee's controversial school voucher proposal. East Tennessee lawmakers were split on the vote.
The bill passed 12-7. Rep. John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge) and Justin Lafferty (R-Knox County) voted to approve it while Rep. Bryan Richey (R-Maryville) and Rep. Sam McKenzie (D-Knoxville) voted against the proposal.
"I like a lot of the stuff that's inside this bill: the school choice option, a lot of the stuff that has to do with the public schools," Richey said. "But there are some real, serious concerns."
The more than $300 million bill included proposals to change teacher evaluations, testing and funding for teacher insurance. More than $100 million included in the proposal would provide funding for school vouchers, using public money to pay for non-public schools such as charter schools, private schools and faith-based schools.
"We have the ability to transform public education in Tennessee," said Rep. Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka).
Mike Winstead, the Maryville City Schools Director, spoke in the hearing against the bill.
"It's going to rock public schools and rock them in a negative way," Winstead said. "Universal vouchers primarily serve children already in private school."
Robby Starbuck spoke in favor of the proposal.
"Parents like me choose not to use the public system for a host of reasons," Starbuck said. "We should never be forced to pay twice because the public system has failed our family in one way or another."
The Senate and the House have different proposals for the education plan.
"The House and the Senate is never going to agree on this 39-page master growth of government. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it," said Rep. Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill), who voted against the bill. "What's going to happen is this is going to go to a conference committee at the end of the session to a backroom deal."
The House version of the bill moves on to the Government Operations Committee.