Expanding state oversight over federal grants and local laws, preparing for an end of the U.S. Department of Education and expanding opportunities for child care providers are top priorities for Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton as lawmakers return to the state Capitol.
The 2025 legislative session will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 14, at 12 p.m. CT. Before he gavels in the legislative session next week, Sexton. R-Crossville, sat down with The Tennessean to discuss his plans for this year.
…[With major changes a real possibility in a second Trump administration, Sexton is supportive.
“I’m hopeful that he will do it,” Sexton said. “I think if you block grant that money and send it back to the states, I think you would see better returns. It won’t be caught up in this big old bureaucracy.”
But with the end of the department, Sexton wants to see certain regulations and mandates abolished as well. Critics worry about the move, including over the loss of federal protections for students with disabilities.
“I would ask for more of a block grant type where we can use it to the best of our ability to improve education,” he said. ]
