The Alabama House has rejected Gov. Robert Bentley's proposal to delay private school tax credits for two years.
The House voted 57-10 Monday to reject the governor's proposal. Now the proposal goes to the Senate on the last meeting day of the legislative session.
The new Alabama Accountability Act provides state tax credits of about $3,500 for parents who enroll a child in a private school or non-failing public school rather than a public school rated as failing. Bentley wanted to delay the tax credits until 2015 to allow time for failing schools to improve and for the state to repay money borrowed from a trust fund.
The sponsor of the Accountability Act, Republican Rep. Chad Fincher of Semmes, says the tax credits for school choice need to begin now.
