Without the rancor or crowds of last week’s committee hearing on the key bills in Gov. Bobby Jindal’s education package, the House is working through amendments to the school choice bill. Only amendments from supporters were heard in the first five hours of debate today on House Bill 976 by Rep. Steve Carter, R-Baton Rouge, and all were passed with solid Republican majorities and some Democratic support. At the start of debate, the House agreed to hear supporters’ amendments first, followed by opponents’, and then to open the floor to new amendments from either side. With 30 floor amendments filed, legislators expect to go well into the night on two bills. An amendment by Rep. Jim Fannin, D-Jonesboro, who chairs Appropriations, would give preference in receiving private-school scholarships to students in “D” and “F” schools ahead of students in “C” schools. Democrats questioned why students who attend average-rated schools were not taken out of the program altogether. The change passed, 88-15. To answer accountability concerns about the bill, Rep. Neil Abramson, D-New Orleans, proposed a one-sentence amendment that orders the Department of Education to develop an accountability system. “Why in the world would you trust the bureaucracy?” asked Rep. Sam Jones, D-Franklin. Abramson answered that he trusts Superintendent John White, who has said the bill already contains adequate accountability measures. The amendment passed, 84-21. Unlike last week, when about 1,000 school employees filled meeting rooms as well as the Capitol steps to oppose the bills, about 50 school employees watched from the House gallery at the start of debate. After applauding some points made by Democrats, their numbers dwindled to a handful by noon. The House has spent the most time on a Fannin amendment to require that local tax money go only to private schools in that school district. Rep. Pat Smith, D-Baton Rouge, argued that, the way scholarship funding is structured, the amendment offers false security and does not protect local funding. The amendment passed, 81-19. The bill to restrict tenure, HB 974 by Carter, waits on the calendar. HB 969 by Rep. Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, to give tax rebates to contributors to groups awarding private-school scholarships to public school students, was on the calendar today, but will be heard on Wednesday.
(John Maginnis will publish a daily update throughout the legislative session on Daily Report PM. The report is also available to LaPolitics Weekly subscribers on the Subscribers Only page at LaPolitics.com. Registration is available on the homepage.)
Louisiana Public Broadcasting is providing a daily video update featuring highlights of the session, which you can see beginning at 6 p.m. here.
