In March, the group filed for a referendum to let the public decide if it wants vouchers in Utah. The group collected 124,000 signatures statewide, and the lieutenant governor announced the petition was sufficient last month, thus putting the original law on hold.

But HB174, an amendment bill that leaders say sought to make some minor changes to the voucher law, was also passed and became law April 30.

Voucher supporters, along with the Utah Attorney General's Office, say that measure has enough language in it to stand alone.

But critics say the bill is fragmented and missing some critical sections, leaving it moot without the original bill. And members of the State Board of Education say they aren't going to move to implement the second law until legal questions are answered — specifically, what power the state board has in filling in the missing pieces of the law.

And if they do decide to draft rules for implementation of the second bill, state education officials said it could be another three months since they would have to start fresh on what was described as a complicated process.

Leaders say that issue will most likely be decided by the courts.

Meanwhile advocates on both sides of the issue are planning to launch education campaigns to inform Utahns of the issue.

Voucher proponents will be holding a school choice rally 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the state Capitol building.

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E-mail: terickson@desnews.com