The House sponsor of a bill to create a school voucher system in Tennessee delayed a floor vote on the legislation after nearly two dozen amendments were proposed at the last minute.
Rep. Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville, on Monday pulled his bill from the House’s calendar, citing as many as 22 amendments that were brought forward prior to the bill being discussed on the floor.
Although Dunn would not reveal the specifics of the various amendments, he said, “Some are serious and some are silly. Some are to make a point. But I’m down here to make a difference.”
House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh, D-Ripley, said some of proposed amendments “would’ve made a terrible bill a little better but not good enough to vote for it.”
Opponents of the bill, including Fitzhugh, objected to no avail to the vote being delayed. The legislation, moved to Thursday’s calendar, was expected to have a close vote, a point which Dunn conceded Monday.
“I was very happy with the 51 folks who stuck with me,” he said.
Some believe Dunn’s move was necessary due to the absence of some lawmakers who have been supportive of the legislation, including Rep. Jeremy Durham, R-Franklin, who is in the midst of a two-week hiatus from the legislature.
Durham submitted a letter to his House colleagues on Jan. 28 saying he was taking two weeks away from legislative work. His two-week hiatus is scheduled to end Thursday.
Also absent from Monday’s floor session were Rep. Tim Wirgau, R-Buchanan, and Rep. Marc Gravitt, R-East Ridge, who could vote in favor of the plan.
Dunn and anti-voucher Rep. David Alexander, R-Winchester, both said ahead of Monday’s floor session said they believed their sides had enough votes. (continue reading at Tennessean)