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Committee hears arguments for and against HB 320 education tax-credit program
Summary
Proponents said HB 320 would give families tax-credit funded accounts to pay for qualified education expenses; opponents warned of fiscal, administrative and constitutional risks and called for procurement and oversight changes.
Representative Scott (Sponsor) opened the House committee hearing on House Bill 320, a proposal to create tax-credit funded accounts to cover qualified educational expenses, and framed the session around the bill's fiscal note and administration.
Supporters said the bill would provide families flexibility to use funds for tuition, curriculum, tutoring and career training. Kendall Cotton, president and CEO of the Frontier Institute, told the committee the program's aggregate $10 million cap would be a small fraction of the state budget and would not break the state's finances. Katie Bloodgood, legislative liaison for the Office of Public Instruction, read a statement from Superintendent Henley saying HB 320 recognizes differing student needs and that parents should have flexibility to choose educational paths.
Opponents raised several concerns about the bill's costs, administration and legal vulnerability. Lance Melton of the Montana School Boards Association, speaking also for the…
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