HB 6004 Tennessee House · 114th First Extraordinary Session (January 2025)

Education - As enacted, enacts the "Education Freedom Scholarship Act." - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 49; Title 8 and Title 49.

HB 6004 creates the "Education Freedom Scholarship Act," allowing eligible Tennessee students to use public funds for private school tuition starting in the 2025-2026 school year. It directly affects Tennessee residents in grades K-12 who attend public schools (excluding homeschool or church-related school students), prioritizing lower-income families with household income under 300% of the free/reduced lunch threshold. The program allocates up to 20,000 scholarships annually, with 10,000 reserved for qualifying low-income students and 10,000 available to all eligible applicants, using income-based criteria for allocation. Scholarships are funded through state appropriations and administered by the Tennessee Department of Education.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Jan 2025
House Passage
Feb 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
Signed into Law
Feb 2025
Introduced Jan 27, 2025 Signed Feb 12, 2025
Floor votes · Senate Jan 30, 2025 · House Jan 30, 2025

How they voted

306
Passed
Total votes 36
Jan 30, 2025
D Democratic7
1 Yea 6 Nay
85% Nay
R Republican29
29 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
51
Key actions
13
Committee
8
Amendments
22
Feb 12, 2025
Signed into law
Signed by Governor.
lower
Feb 10, 2025
Upper · Passed
Signed by Senate Speaker
upper
Feb 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
Signed by H. Speaker
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 3 - HA6008)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 4 - HA6009)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 5 - HA6010)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 6 - HA6011)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 7 - HA6012)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 8 - HA6013)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. withdrawn. (Amendment 9 - HA6014)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 10 - HA6015)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 11 - HA6016)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 12 - HA6017)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 13 - HA6018)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 14 - HA6019)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 15 - HA6020)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 16 - HA6021)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 17 - HA6022)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 18 - HA6023)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 19 - HA6024)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 20 - HA6025)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Am. tabled. (Amendment 21 - HA6026)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
H. adopted am. (Amendment 1 - HA6001)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed H., as am., Ayes 54, Nays 44, PNV 1
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Introduced
Received from House, Passed on First Consideration
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Amendment tabled (Amendment 2 - SA6013)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Amended
Amendment tabled (Amendment 3 - SA6014)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed Senate, Ayes 20, Nays 13
upper
Jan 28, 2025
Committee
P2C, ref. to Education Committe--Government Operations for review
lower
Jan 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Education Committee of Extraordinary Session for 1/28/2025
lower
Jan 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass. if am., ref. to Government Operations Committee of 1st Extraordinary Session
lower
Jan 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Government Operations Committee of 1st Extraordinary Session for 1/28/2025
lower
Jan 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass; ref to Finance, Ways, and Means Committee of 1st Extraordinary Session
lower
Jan 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Finance, Ways, and Means Committee of 1st Extraordinary Session for 1/28/2025
lower
Jan 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Rec. for pass; ref to Calendar & Rules Committee of 1st Extraordinary Session
lower
Jan 28, 2025
Lower · Passed
Placed on cal. Calendar & Rules Committee of 1st Extraordinary Session for 1/28/2025
lower
Jan 27, 2025
Introduced
Intro., P1C.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of William Lamberth
William Lamberth
RRepublican
TN
44