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KINGSPORT, Tenn. — In a recent discussion with News Channel 11, State Representative John Crawford (R-Kingsport) provided insights into the legislative policies currently under consideration in the 114th Tennessee General Assembly.
As the legislative session in Tennessee draws to a close, one of the most contentious topics has been the proposal to expand school vouchers, formally known as the Education Freedom Scholarship Program. This initiative has sparked significant debate among lawmakers and educators alike.
Proponents of the program acknowledge that its inaugural year suffered from inadequate data tracking. Nonetheless, they argue that preliminary results are promising and emphasize that funding safeguards for schools remain intact.
“We’ve invested $4.3 billion into public education, yet only $125 million had been utilized until the recent passage of the bill,” Crawford explained. “Now, this amount will increase to $300 million. I believe parents are best positioned to understand their children’s needs and to determine which schools are most suitable for them.”
While Crawford concedes that the initial rollout of the program faced challenges with data collection, he remains optimistic about its potential benefits, reiterating the commitment to maintaining financial protections for educational institutions.
“This year, with an amendment that was put on just a few days ago that extends that out to hold the schools harmless,” Crawford said. “And, so, I think we’ll probably see a little better tracking this year.”
Beyond education, Crawford said public safety has been a priority–backing a bill that would expand DNA collection for felony arrests to help solve crimes.
“By doing the DNA swab, it has already shown to be effective in being able to solve cases,” Crawford said. “And, I have the support of the sheriff’s association as well as the Turner machine. So, it’s a really good bill that can help us solve some cold cases and get some of these bad actors off of our streets.”
Lawmakers also made strides in healthcare with a focus on reshaping hospital systems in Northeast Tennessee by opening the door to more competition.
“Allow us to have people come in and you know, ask that they want to be a part of our system here and let them compete with Ballad and other systems,” Crawford said. “You know, I think that’s the best way we can do it as far as bringing prices down.”
Meanwhile, questions remain about funding for summer food assistance (EBT) programs. Crawford said more needs to be done to secure federal dollars for families in need.
“We are all in favor of it. The Northeast Tennessee delegation has worked really hard on trying to get that funding,” Crawford said. “We have secured some funding, but it’s just not enough to get us through the summer. And so, we will continue to push that.”
As the session comes to a close, Crawford said the focus now is on finalizing the state budget. Lawmakers are expected to wrap up the session in the coming days.