State Sen. Charlane Oliver (D-Nashville) is not giving up when it comes to child care aid.

When she brought legislation to address child care access struggles in the state in 2024, all three bills were voted down in the Tennessee General Assembly.

But during the following legislative session, Gov. Lee added $6 million in recurring funds to the state’s budget to better fund the Department of Human Services’ Smart Steps child care voucher program, which subsidizes the cost of care for low-income families. He also raised the income threshold for qualifying families to 100 percent of the state median income, up from 85 percent.

“The point of doing these bills is so I can elevate the conversation,” Oliver tells the Scene . “Gov. Lee ended up funding that legislation — not telling me,

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