Panel kills bill allowing public money for private education

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A House panel has rejected legislation backers say would improve Idaho education through competition but that opponents say would harm education by transferring more than $1 billion of public money to private and religious schools.

The House Education Committee voted 8-7 on Tuesday to kill the bill that allowed qualifying families to get $6,000 per student from the state for private tutoring or tuition at private schools.

Opponents say the measure violates the Idaho Constitution that requires a uniform system of free public education. Some bill backers agreed with that assessment but also said they disagreed with the Idaho Constitution.