MONTGOMERY — The PRICE Act sponsored by State Sen. Larry Stutts (R-Tuscumbia) is on the agenda for the Finance and Taxation Education Committee on Wednesday.
A public hearing was held on Senate Bill 202, also known as the Parental Rights in Children's Education (PRICE) Act, a couple of weeks ago in the Senate Education Policy Committee. However, no vote was held on the legislation.
Committee chairman State Sen. Donnie Chesteen (R-Geneva) instead sent the bill over to the Finance and Taxation Education Committee.
State Rep. Ernie Yarbrough (R-Trinity) is carrying the House version of the legislation.
The bill allows parents to apply for Educational Savings Accounts (ESAs) of $6,900 for their children to attend a participating school or education provider.
“We’re going to discuss it. It’s going to be on the agenda and we’ll certainly air it out,” Finance and Taxation Education Committee chairman State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) told reporters on Thursday. “The committee hasn’t had the public hearing like the policy committee. There may be a little overlap. A few committee members have, but we need to learn more about that bill and I would expect that to happen in committee next week.”
Despite around two-thirds of the 30 days of the legislative session being used, Stutts told 1819 News last week “absolutely, there’s time” to still pass the school choice legislation.
"We'll have to get moving on it. Absolutely, there's time. What's going to affect the time, I mean, you know we can pass something in five days," Stutts said last week. "What we need is for the House and Senate leadership to get behind it and help grease the skids for it to keep moving. When we get it out of committee… we've passed bills a lot faster than that before. This has got to be a priority. We've got a surplus in the education budget. If we're going to take a little hit of it costing something, there's no better time to do it."
The majority of Alabama voters want school choice, according to a recent poll by the Alabama Republican Party.
To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email caleb.taylor@1819News.com.
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