Education Savings Accounts Legislation Fails To Get Enough Votes

One of the more controversial measures facing the state legislature is dead before lawmakers even had a chance to vote on it.

The Education Savings Account bills in the Senate and House of Representatives would have allowed parents to use a portion of the state dollars used for their child’s public school education to pay for private school tuition or home schooling. But the bills apparently didn’t have enough backing to even bother bringing it up for a vote. 

“Honestly I don’t think they had the votes to pass it,” said Sen. Brian Bingman (R) President Pro Tempore. 

On the Senate side, sources told News 9 that 29 of 50 senators planned to vote against the bill.

“I think a lot of the concern would be the economy,” said Bingham, “with education and everyone taking cuts. A lot of people that might be in favor of it philosophically, just the environment probably not conducive to, in their opinion, passing that bill.”

In the House of Representatives sources said there were more than 60 lawmakers that opposed the bill including every democrat. 

“Thousands of families, parents and teachers have e-mailed and called their representatives and senators for the last several weeks telling them they did not want vouchers to pull money away from public schools at a time when they desperately need it,” said Representative Scott Inman (D) House Minority Leader, “And their voices were heard.”