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Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Ind. Gov't. - Texting ban; school vouchers

"Indiana Senate panel OKs texting ban despite worries" is the heading to this WTHR story this noon, with video.

"Indiana private school voucher bill faces changes" is a Deanna Martin AP report posted mid-morning by WISH TV. A quote:

[O]ne of the Republican proposals Democrats consider most onerous is a voucher bill that would use taxpayer money to help parents send their children to private school. But House Speaker Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said that bill is likely headed for major changes regardless of the Democrats' ongoing boycott of the House, where Republicans hold a 60-40 majority.

To win solid support for the bill from his own caucus, Bosma said Republicans are considering limiting the number of students who could receive vouchers and may further restrict qualifying income levels so that vouchers are directed to more needy students. Currently the bill includes no cap on the number of students who can participate, and families of four making up to $81,000 a year could receive a scholarship to a private school. That income limit is lower than the original proposal, which would have allowed families of four making more than $100,000 to receive vouchers.

Bosma predicted the voucher bill could pass the House with about 55 votes, but only after amendments are adopted.

"It's going to take some changes," he said.

Nearly 50 amendments have been filed on the voucher bill, most by Democrats, and Bosma said the House would likely adopt some Democratic amendments that make sense. However, adopting amendments — or conducting any House business — requires a quorum, and the Democrats' boycott has prevented that from happening.

The vouchers bill is HB 1003.

Posted by Marcia Oddi on March 1, 2011 01:05 PM
Posted to Indiana Government