This afternoon, the Senate Finance Committee advanced HB 1902, the Children’s Promise Act legislation, moving it forward for a Senate floor vote. Though the committee amended the bill to remove the increase in funding flowing to private schools, having the code sections alive leaves it vulnerable to more increases in conference. We want that bill to die.
The Children’s Promise Act sends millions of dollars to private schools annually through dollar-for-dollar tax credits for donations. The private schools get that public money with no obligation or accountability to the taxpayers footing the bill – no requirement that they enroll new students, no restrictions on expenditure of funds, no reporting requirements, no state audits.
No one even checks to be sure that the private schools currently getting $9-million of our tax dollars every year are enrolling the qualifying children that the law says they are supposed to serve. At a minimum, any private school that receives an annual subsidy from our tax dollars should be audited by the state to ensure compliance with the law.
Ask senators to VOTE NO ON HB 1902
Find contact information for all legislators who represent your school district
Lt. Gov. Hosemann: 601.359.3200
Capitol Switchboard: 601.359.3770
(Open Mon. noon-5:00, Tues.-Thurs. 8:00-5:00, Fri. 8:00-noon)
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Tomorrow is the deadline for senators to vote on HB 1902, and the Senate will convene at 10:00 a.m. Please call right away and urge senators to VOTE NO. Our children are counting on us and together, we’ve got this!
