Representative Taglia Via seeks legislative control over SGO federal tax-credit participation under 26 U.S.C. §25(f)

A committee member introduced an amendment to section 19 of H.93 that would remove the existing provision authorizing a federal tax credit for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations and replace it with a new provision requiring the General Assembly to decide annually whether to participate in the federal SGO tax-credit program under 26 U.S.C. §25(f).

The sponsor told the committee the new language would require a legislative enactment each year "to identify all qualifying scholarship-granting organizations" and to specify who is responsible for providing the list to the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, citing the federal statutory mechanics in 26 U.S.C. §25(f). The sponsor said the amendment preserves legislative authority and emphasized the change was "really truly about the kids getting scholarships and having that opportunity."

Members pressed on timing and fiscal exposure. One member warned that "every state that has done this has seen exponential growth in total education spending," expressing concern the state could not "take the lid off exponential growth." Others said federal rules governing the program had not yet been finalized, and that waiting to see the federal implementing rules would inform whether and how the legislature should act.

The Chair called a straw/voice vote after discussion; members were reminded to raise only one hand to avoid double-counting. The Chair reported, "I think we have 2 opposed," and thanked the sponsor. The transcript does not record a formal roll-call tally; the amendment proceeded through the committee process with an apparent majority supporting the motion in the voice vote recorded on the floor.