But public school advocates fear tuition tax credits would drain money from what they call an underfunded school system.

The bill would save the state $3.4 million in the first year if more than 3,700 students switched from public to private schools — a savings dependent on cutting $11.3 million from the schools' enrollment-based budget. Though legislators have said that money would return to schools, some education officials are leery.

The $10 million bail-out fund, which Rep. Dave Ure, R-Kamas, called a "safety net," attempted to assuage concerns.

But that new chunk of change might have hurt the bill's chances in the Senate, President John Valentine, R-Orem, said. "That is a huge fiscal note" not in the current budget.

Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, wondered why, if there's $10 million lying around, it wasn't going to boost the weighted pupil unit, the state's basic per-student funding formula.

And some House members, including Rep. Gordon Snow, R-Roosevelt, felt uncomfortable passing a bill with so many amendments without time to study them or weigh others.

"I think this lacks significant good tax policy," said Snow, adding the bill does nothing to protect parents if a school goes broke. "Even though I am a proponent of school choice, I'm not comfortable with (the bill) today."

---

E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com