Committee advances bill shifting tax-credit scholarship administration to Commerce

The Select Committee on School Choice voted to report House Bill 4588 to the full Senate with the recommendation that it pass as amended.

Committee counsel said the amended bill would mirror an earlier Senate measure and ‘‘enable and require the secretary of commerce to participate in the federal tax credit scholarship program’’ established under Public Law 119-21 and would reference state code provision "5 b 1 c 1." Counsel said the change moves administration from the Economic Development Authority to the Department of Commerce so the scholarships can be distributed more evenly than under the prior structure.

The vice chair moved the committee amendment as explained by counsel; the chair called a voice vote and declared the ayes have it, adopting the amendment. The vice chair then moved that House Bill 4588 be reported to the full Senate with the recommendation that it do pass as amended. The chair again called a voice vote and declared the ayes have it; the motion to report the bill was adopted.

No roll-call vote or individual vote tallies were recorded in the transcript. The committee did not record additional debate or public comment on the measure during this meeting. The bill will proceed to the full Senate for further consideration.