Voucher bill, similar to last year's, may pass this year

A bill giving government vouchers for private school tuition looks nearly identical to last year's legislation that died without a floor debate.

Still, advocates say this bill could be the one to become law. The House has new members, and the public tide, they say, is turning toward greater support. A Dan Jones & Associates poll conducted for the Deseret Morning News showed public opinion on vouchers in a dead heat.

Parents for Choice in Education, which gave last year's bill a cool response, supports this one.

"Certainly there are compromises in there ... like money going to school districts that are losing students to vouchers ... however, we understand that school districts could use the help in adjusting to having those students no longer in their enrollment," said Elisa Peterson, PCE executive director. "It's not ideal, but our objective has always been to support legislation that will give parents and kids more choices for their education ...."

Rep. Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, distributed a draft bill to the House Republican caucus Thursday.

His "Parent Choice in Education Act" looks much like the one carried last year by Rep. Brad Dee, R-Washington Terrace.

But Urquhart said that though it would not give money to school districts losing voucher students, it would allow districts to keep those students in their enrollment for five years, minus what they took in the form of a voucher.

"Why is it in there? Politics," Urquhart told the caucus. "Anyone who looks at this would conclude ... that financially, the public schools come out ahead under this proposal."

The vouchers would range from $500 to $3,000 each, scaled to income, with the smaller vouchers going to people making around $100,000 a year.

The draft bill also contains accountability measures, including teacher skill requirements and accounting procedures. Public school students and low-income students currently attending private schools would qualify.

Vouchers would be paid for out of the general fund, not the schools fund. There is no fiscal impact attached to the draft bill as yet, but last year's bill at one point sought $13 million.

House GOP moderates and Democrats since 2000 have blocked voucher and tuition tax credits bills. Rep. Kory Holdaway, R-Taylorsville, says he has constitutional questions about giving public money to private schools on a statewide basis.

The Utah Education Association historically has opposed the concept.

"We are disappointed at the prospect that we'll have another legislative session where the focus and energy ... might be diverted to a controversial topic like vouchers," said Vik Arnold, UEA government relations specialist.

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