THE IOWA LEGISLATURE HAS VOTED FOR GOVERNOR KIM REYNOLDS’ TOP 2023 PRIORITY — A BILL THAT WILL PROVIDE STATE-FUNDED ACCOUNTS FOR THE PARENTS OF PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS.
REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE JOHN WILLS OF SPIRIT LAKE OPENED MONDAY’S HOUSE DEBATE BY SAYING THE BILL WAS ABOUT FREEDOM.
CHOICE4 OC……..BILL IS ALL ABOUT.” :14
AFTER FIVE AND A HALF HOURS OF DEBATE, THE BILL CLEARED THE HOUSE ON A 55 TO 45 VOTE.
SENATORS DEBATED IN EARNEST FOR ABOUT THREE HOURS, PASSING THE BILL JUST BEFORE 12:30 A.M. THIS (TUESDAY) MORNING ON A 31-TO-18 VOTE.
REPRESENTATIVE STEVEN HOLT, A REPUBLICAN FROM DENISON, SAYS STATE FUNDS WILL NOW FOLLOW A CHILD TO THE SCHOOL THAT BEST FITS THEIR NEEDS.
CHOICE5 OC………POSITIVE CHANGE. :12
ALL DEMOCRATS IN THE LEGISLATURE VOTED AGAINST THE BILL.
REPRESENTATIVE J.D. SCHOLTEN OF SIOUX CITY EXPRESSED HIS CONCERNS:
CHOICE6 OC……IS GOING TO COST. :18
SCHOLTEN SAYS THERE ISN’T ENOUGH TRANSPARENCY:
CHOICE7 OC……THAT’S NUTS. :22
NINE HOUSE REPUBLICANS AND THREE SENATORS INCLUDING LYNN DAVIS OF CHEROKEE VOTED AGAINST THE PROPOSAL.
IN THE FIRST YEAR, LOW INCOME PARENTS WHO ENROLL A CHILD IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL COULD APPLY FOR NEARLY 76-HUNDRED DOLLARS IN STATE FUNDING TO COVER TUITION, COMPUTERS, TEXTBOOKS AND TUTORING.
IN 2026, ALL PRIVATE SCHOOL PARENTS COULD APPLY FOR THE STATE MONEY.
