Gov. Kim Reynolds signs the 'school choice' bill into law
Gov. Kim Reynolds signed the 'school choice' bill into law Tuesday morning.
In the early hours of Tuesday morning, state lawmakers approved Gov. Reynolds' plan to use taxpayer money to pay private school tuition. The bill passed with a 55-45 vote in the Iowa House and a 31-18 vote in the Iowa Senate.
After nearly five hours of debate Monday night, all Iowa House Democrats voted against the bill. Nine Republicans also voted against the bill: Michael Bergan, Brian Best, Jane Bloomingdale, Chad Ingels, Brian Lohse, Gary Mohr, Thomas Moore, David Sieck and Brent Siegrist.
In the bill, , any family with a K-12 student who wants to switch from public to private school during the next school year would receive roughly $7,600 from the state — the full amount of taxpayer money the state invests in every student.
That money usually goes to a student's public school district. But under Reynolds' plan, families who switch to private schools would get that money instead.
Once fully phased in, the plan would cost the state more than $340 million annually.
House Republicans voted to exempt the bill from the traditional budgetary process requiring consideration in the House Appropriations or Ways and Means Committees, a process that every other bill that appropriates money is required to go through.
Republicans argue the plan will empower parents to send their kids to whatever school provides the best educational opportunity to fit their unique needs.
“It's been a very exciting night ... And as I listen to the debate tonight, I realize that a lot of people don't realize that this was actually decided back in the primaries. What Governor Reynolds has done to take a stand for children all across the board, and I know we heard a lot of opposition to the ESAs during the debate. But we, especially the freshman and the people who have been here for many years. We've been listening to constituents for years already. This isn't anything new. We're really excited. We're pleased with the vote,” Republican Rep. Helena Hayes said.
Democrats say the bill lacks fiscal responsibility, transparency and accountability.
"It's been an exhausting process. It's been a heartbreaking process. I was even with some kids in an elementary school today, a public school in Des Moines, here. And looking at them, knowing that this could happen tonight and knowing that they're going to have to get by with even fewer resources than they have now is heartbreaking to me. Tonight, the Iowa legislature let down a half-a-million kids in the state," Democratic Rep. Austin Baeth said.
Before the vote, state auditor Rob Sand, who is a Democrat, expressed concerns about oversight of the plan.
"With no transparency obligations, no required public audits, no public records and no public meetings, uncovering waste, fraud and abuse of your tax dollars will be much harder," Sand said.
Watch: Iowa House and Senate pass governor's school choice bill