Dueling voucher expansion bills move ahead in Tennessee

• The Senate's version would allow students to use about $7,100 in vouchers to attend participating private schools. It would also allow students to attend public schools in any district with enough space.
• The House's version, which is much more expensive, adds more funding for public school building costs and teacher health insurance coverage. It also relaxes public school testing and teacher evaluation requirements.

Zoom in: The Tennessean reports the price of the House version is about $250 million higher than the Senate version.

• Lee told reporters it was too soon to weigh in on the discrepancy.
• Negotiators from both chambers will likely have to hammer out a compromise.

What's next: The House and Senate versions of voucher expansion are still making their way through committees.

• "There is a great deal of distance between the two chambers," Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge), the speaker of the Senate, told reporters last week. "But that doesn't mean it can't get resolved."