NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — State lawmakers are making tough decisions to pass a budget amid the new coronavirus outbreak. The state legislature will shut down, but they don't want to do so before being prepared for the next year.
They are expected to make budget cuts totaling $1.5 billion to shore up the state financially, with education taking a big hit.
Promised raises for teachers will be cut back to two percent, while keeping the controversial Education Savings Account program.
Lawmakers made the cuts during a closed meeting. They include a reduced increase to the BEP to account for inflation. Lawmakers met a second time to discuss details and try to get a budget passed within the next 24 hours.
The $1.5 billion in cuts will go towards the state rainy day fund - money the Governor Bill Lee promised would be used in the COVID-19 response.
Lawmakers say they're having to do this so fast; so there may be things they got wrong.
"We are putting in every protection that we can just like having this press conference right now to get everybody's on everything that we can," said Rep. William Lamberth (R - Portland). "Our caucus, the democratic caucus, we have set aside 99.9% of any type of partisan differences in order to get this done. But we are asking for the public's help in looking at this over the next day."
Lawmakers say once the budget is passed, they won't be back until June 1 at the earliest.
