The more moderate Mascaro wants to set aside $1.5 million in Rainy Day Funds to ensure districts don't lose money. Similar language found its way into Ferrin's bill last year.

But Ferrin doesn't want to sunset the law after seven years as Mascaro does. While some lawmakers believe a sunset provision would ensure proper scrutiny and a way out if needed, Ferrin says it would discourage private school expansion.

Mascaro says he might reconsider the provision. And that could keep political strategy on track.

Combining the bills could prevent further splitting Republicans on an issue dear to conservatives. Ensuring schools won't be financially harmed and targeting credits at the poor also negates some arguments against it.

"I can only speak for myself because the mainstream (Republicans) group certainly hasn't gotten together and talked about this," said Rep. Sheryl Allen, R-Bountiful. "But I think that's a wise move . . . having some sort of threshold. It needs to be fairly limited."

Opponents agree the changes would make the bill appear "less dangerous," said Pat Rusk, president of the Utah Education Association. But they remain leery.

"Where do you draw the line?" State Board of Education chairman Kim Burningham said.

He and others remain philosophically opposed to tuition tax credits, which some call channeling public funds to the private sector.

"We simply believe tuition tax credits are not the right thing to do," Rusk said. "I don't know whether we will be able to stop a tuition tax credits bill, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't aggressively fight against something we believe is wrong."

It's uncertain whether enough legislators will see things her way.

But tuition tax credit advocates are optimistic this will be their year.

"First, (Huntsman) is a governor who isn't threatening a veto; the second (plus) is, this probably does make the bill more palatable to some of the House moderates," said Royce Van Tassell, spokesman for Education Excellence Utah. "This is clearly the best chance school choice has had in more than a decade."

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E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com