Gov. Bill Lee issued the first veto of his administration on Monday, blocking a GOP-backed bill to expand the state parole board’s authority.
Lee argued that the measure would reverse progress made under the 2021 Reentry Success Act, which helped lower Tennessee’s recidivism rate to a record low.
The vetoed bill, which passed largely along party lines, sought to let the board deny parole for a broader set of crimes, including fentanyl-related deaths and carjackings.
Backers plan to push for a veto override in 2026, but Lee says the current safeguards are working and that broader discretion risks undermining public safety reforms.