House Backs Corporate Tax Credit for Private School Vouchers

A corporate tax credit scholarship would be available for private school vouchers under a bill approved by the House on Wednesday.

The House bill, HB 859, which seemingly comes up annually, removes the requirement that a child spend at least one year in the public school system before being eligible for the scholarship.

State staff has estimated the bill, heavily opposed by Democrats, could have a $10.3 million savings next year for the program that gives corporations a dollar-for-dollar tax credit.

Currently, the removal of the eligibility requirement is not part of the Senate version of the bill. It should be noted that with less than three days remaining in the regular session, the Senate has a full in-box of House-approved bills to move through.

HB 859, sponsored by Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-New Port Richey, also requires school districts to cover the cost of FCAT and other state assessment tests that private schools opt to use.

State economists estimate that if every scholarship student currently enrolled in private schools took the FCAT, the cost would be $1.07 million, with the cost increasing as the number of scholarship students grows.