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Committee advances bill to codify federal scholarship tax-credit program; debate over caps and oversight
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Summary
Senator Dixon moved and the committee advanced LC492559 to codify a federal scholarship tax-credit program into state law; members and public witnesses pressed concerns about permanence, oversight, accreditation language and fiscal impact, including testimony estimating potential costs in the tens of billions.
Senator Dixon asked the committee to codify into state law a federal tax-credit scholarship program that currently requires annual renewal by executive order. He said codifying the program in state code would avoid annual renewals. The sponsor described contribution limits in the bill: up to $1,700 for single filers and $3,400 for couples, with eligibility tied to families earning less than 300% of area median income.
Senator White and others questioned "permanently participating" language and whether codifying the program would eliminate legislative oversight or sunset review. Senator Halpern asked whether the Georgia version omitted a federal requirement that contributions must benefit students solely within the donor state; the sponsor said he would check that detail.
Mikaela Arciaga, advocacy director for IDRA, testified in opposition. "This program has no cap," she told the committee, and conservative estimates put its cost between $21 billion and $51 billion, she said. Arciaga warned the structure could divert resources from public schools and that scholarship-granting organizations could collect larger administrative fees under the federal structure than state limits currently permit.
Senator Howard offered an amendment to strike language allowing schools "in the process of becoming accredited" from the bill's definition of a qualified school; the amendment was defeated on a committee hand vote (three members in favor). The committee then moved the underlying bill forward; the transcript records the committee carrying the motion (final roll-call for passage not enumerated in the transcript).
Next steps: LC492559 will proceed as advanced by the Finance Committee; sponsors and staff indicated they will monitor federal regulations and may adjust state language if needed.
