Mayors from the region traveled to Nashville earlier this week for Governor Bill Lee’s special session to advocate for East Tennesseeans. They returned home on Thursday feeling hopeful for their counties after the passage of the Hurricane Helene relief bill.

A bill seeking to strengthen immigration policies in Tennessee could soon be signed into law by Tennessee Governor Bill Lee.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee marked the close of the special legislative session and the successful passage of his full agenda, including the Education Freedom Act, a disaster relief package, and public safety measures to prepare Tennessee to assist in implementation of the Trump Administration’s illegal immigration policies.

Gov. Lee called for a special session for his proposed school choice program, a disaster relief package for those affected by Hurricane Helene, and prepare the state for President Trump’s new immigration policies.

The legislation could mean jail time and a fine for those supporting sanctuary policies designed to protect migrants.

A bill filed for school vouchers for Tennessee students has transitioned for a special session, finally mapping out the funding for how the initiative would even work.

The legislature’s Republican supermajority left little room for debate, pushing through millions of dollars and sprawling policy changes in a special session that lasted just four days.

The Tennessee House of Representatives approved Thursday, Jan. 30, an expansion of the state’s school-voucher program.