Hale Said Session Can Get Voucher Issue Decided

The decision to call a special session later this month on vouchers likely an attempt to deal with the issue promptly.

That according to State Representative Michael Hale. Hale said he believes the voucher decision will be a very close call for the Governor.

“It’s taken a lot of air and a lot of wind just to, you know, and I think their feel is if we have to go with that through March, April, end of May, whatever, then we’re just wrestling that the whole time,” Hale said.

Some have questioned the political motives of putting a voucher discussion in a special session discussion with help for East Tennessee victims of the hurricane. Hale said a lot of legislators wish a session for that issue had been called earlier for East Tennessee’s sake. Hale said it seems like the issue was delayed because Hurricane Helene hit in the weeks leading up to the 2024 election and then the holidays followed right after.

“I don’t have a glass ball to see exactly why and look into the governor’s train of thought and why all of it together and why we haven’t already,” Hale said. “But just from conversation, that that’s why.”

Hale said the special session should get disaster relief to East Tennessee much faster than if it was done through regular legislation. Hale said there is not a doubt in his mind that everyone sees the need to support those recovering from Hurricane Helene.

“If we went through regular session with that, that wouldn’t happen until the end of session when we appropriate and do, you know, there would be a bill that would get funded at that point but that wouldn’t happen until, again, until April or May,” Hale said.

Hale said school vouchers are a very heated and highly discussed topic, as he has received passionate messages from people on both sides of the issue. Hale said one of the big issues with conversations around the school voucher system is misinformation and the lack of information.

“I did a survey in our district last fall,” Hale said. “And in the 40th district there was fifty-four percent for it, there was thirteen percent was unsure, and then the remaining was no. So that tells you, with that thirteen percent unsure, that tells you that that could split and go half and half, then you’re close to a sixty-forty. So that tells you it’s a very close thing.”