NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s highest court has ruled that Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s school voucher program does not violate the state’s constitution.
The Tennessee Supreme Court’s ruled 3-2 Wednesday on the issue. Its decision overturns several lower court rulings that had previously determined the program violated the Tennessee Constitution’s “home rule.” That rule says the Legislature can’t pass measures singling out individual counties without local support.
Under the law, the voucher program would apply only to Nashville and Shelby County, which includes Memphis, the areas with the lowest performing schools and regions with Democratic political strongholds who opposed the measure.
