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Georgia Senate passes bill to opt into federal scholarship tax credit after heated debate
Summary
The Georgia Senate voted to opt into a federal scholarship tax credit program (SB 446) after hours of debate over accountability, accreditation and who qualifies. The bill passed 31–21 and codifies the state's participation while setting rules for scholarship-granting organizations.
The Georgia State Senate on Feb. 18 approved Senate Bill 446, a measure to opt the state into a federal tax credit program that encourages private donations to scholarship-granting organizations (SGOs). The bill passed after extended floor debate, receiving a recorded vote of 31 yeas and 21 nays.
Sponsor Senator Dixon (speaker 26) said the legislation “codifies a federal education tax credit program in Georgia state law” and emphasized that it “does not cost the state of Georgia any money” because the credit applies at the federal level, not through a state appropriation. The bill sets eligibility and operational rules for SGOs and mirrors federal filing mechanisms, the sponsor said.
Opponents pressed the floor on multiple fronts. Senator 29 raised concerns that SGOs can be…
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