Friday, February 17, 2012
Richmond, VA — Today, the Virginia State Senate passed a tax-credit scholarship bill by a vote of 20-20. The tie was broken by Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling. This marks the first time a school choice program has passed Virginia’s Senate chamber.
The proposal would provide a 65 percent tax credit to individuals and corporations that donate to nonprofits that, in turn, distribute private school scholarships to children in need. In moving the measure forward, Virginia inches closer toward becoming the newest member of the school choice “family.”
“Virginia lawmakers concluded what Democrats and Republicans in 17 other states have long known: School choice helps parents obtain better learning environments for their children,” Robert Enlow, President and CEO of the Friedman Foundation, said.
The Senate proposal now faces a vote in the Virginia House, which passed its own tax-credit scholarship measure earlier this week. Should it receive House approval, Gov. Bob McDonnell is expected to sign the bill into law. Accordingly, Virginia would join eight other states that have tax-credit scholarship programs.
“This success would not have been possible without the diligence and hard work of our state leaders and student-focused organizations,” Chris Braunlich, Vice President of the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy, said. “We also are grateful to the Friedman Foundation for their ongoing support as we worked to educate Virginians on how school choice will benefit our children most in need.”
About the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice
The Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and nonpartisan organization, solely dedicated to advancing Milton and Rose Friedman’s vision of school choice for all children. First established as the Milton and Rose D. Friedman Foundation in 1996, the Foundation continues to promote school choice as the most effective and equitable way to improve the quality of K-12 education in America. The Foundation is dedicated to research, education, and outreach on the vital issues and implications related to choice and competition in K-12 education.
Contact
| Jeff Reed |
| State Programs & Government Relations Director |
| Jeff@EdChoice.org |
| 317-681-0745 |
