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Education-expense tax credit fails in committee after amendments narrow scope
Summary
SB 5 49, a proposed tax credit for K–12 education expenses, failed in Senate Finance and Claims by a 7–15 vote after sponsors explained floor amendments (nonrefundable status, removal of homeschool eligibility, re-addition of private schools) changed the fiscal profile.
Senate Finance and Claims voted down SB 5 49, a proposed income tax credit for K–12 education expenses, by a 7–15 roll-call vote and tabled the bill. Sponsor Senator Jeremy Trebis walked members through amendments made on the floor and in committee that altered the credit's refundability and eligibility, and he explained those changes would materially change the fiscal estimate.
Trebis said the bill, as amended, would no longer be refundable and would exclude home-school claims but include private schools — all of which will change the cost projection from the original fiscal note. "The fiscal note you have in front of you is the original before it was even amended in committee, before it was amended on the senate floor," Trebis said, and he estimated the revised fiscal exposure could be far lower than the original maximum estimate but did not provide a firm updated number.
Department of Revenue staff made themselves available to answer fiscal questions; committee members expressed concern about the original fiscal note and the unknowns created by recent amendments. The committee took executive action and the bill failed to pass (7 yes, 15 no); without objection, the chair ordered the bill tabled.
Next steps: SB 5 49 was tabled after the committee vote; sponsors and staff will need to reconcile fiscal estimates before seeking further action.
