Haslam's school voucher bill delayed

photo Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam answers questions during a meeting with the Times Free Press editorial board.
Arkansas-Tennessee Live Blog

NASHVILLE - Legislation to tighten enrollment requirements at online-only schools is advancing in the Senate.

The administration bill proposed by Gov. Bill Haslam was unanimously approved 9-0 in the Senate Education Committee on Wednesday.

The measure would allow beginning online schools to start with an enrollment of 1,500 and continue to expand as long as they meet performance requirements. The measure originally sought to cap online school enrollment at 5,000.

Another Haslam proposal that would create a school voucher program in Tennessee was delayed two weeks. Republican Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris of Collierville is carrying the legislation and says he wants to talk to a fellow Republican senator who has a competing bill.

Haslam's legislation seeks to limit participants to 5,000, where the other proposal seeks to drastically broaden that number.

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