Tennessee Governor Bill Lee will deliver his sixth State of the State Address to members of the General Assembly and Tennesseans on Monday, February 5, his office announced this week.
Lee’s address will take place in the House Chamber of the Tennessee State Capitol at 6 p.m. CST.
TN continues to lead the nation as a beacon of opportunity, security & freedom, & every Tennessean has an important role to play as we strengthen & secure our state’s future. https://t.co/NLH8OkRFQH
— Gov. Bill Lee (@GovBillLee) January 22, 2024
The governor will discuss his legislative agenda for the year as well as his proposed budget for 2024-2025 during the address.
“Tennessee is continuing to lead the nation as a beacon of opportunity, security and freedom,” Lee said in a statement. “Every Tennessean has an important role to play as we strengthen and secure our state’s future, and in the coming year, I look forward to working with the General Assembly to accomplish our legislative priorities and make life better for all.”
Lee’s address will be broadcasted on local stations across the state. The address will also be streamed on the governor’s official Facebook and YouTube channels.
During this year’s State of the State Address, Lee is expected to encourage state lawmakers to pass his Education Freedom Scholarship Act, which would offer education savings accounts for students in all 95 counties in the Volunteer State.
A recent poll conducted by the Nashville-based Beacon Center of Tennessee revealed Lee’s universal school choice plan is supported by a majority of Tennesseans, as a total of 68 percent of poll respondents said they support the governor’s proposal while 19 percent opposed his plan.
Lee’s education plan, the poll notes, is supported by 85 percent of Republicans, 56 percent of Independents, and 56 percent of Democrats.
This year’s legislative session, according to House Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison (R-Cosby), is expected to “focus on making strategic investments in education and public safety while also strengthening the economy and cutting taxes.”
The top priority for lawmakers this session, according to Faison, is to “approve a spending plan that addresses the needs of all Tennesseans.”
The General Assembly’s plan to approve such a budget comes as the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration recently announced that the state’s general fund revenues for December underperformed by $82.5 million.
In response, State Senator Bo Watson (R-Hixson), who chairs the Finance, Ways and Means Committee, said state lawmakers will “make the necessary spending adjustments to balance our expenses with our revenues.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Image “Gov. Bill Lee State of the State 2023” by Gov Bill Lee.
