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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Gov. Bill Haslam wants to extend his free community college tuition program to Tennessee adults.

The Republican governor said in his State of the State address to lawmakers on Monday that his Tennessee Reconnect Program would be the first such program in the country.

Haslam said the program is key toward his goal of increasing the percentage of people with higher education degrees to 55 percent by the year 2025. The current rate is about 39 percent.

Haslam’s plan would be open to any adult who has lived in Tennessee for at least a year and does not have an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

About 900,000 adults in Tennessee have attended some college, but have no degree.