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1995 SESSION

LD8656236
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 579
Offered January 23, 1995
Requesting a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of tax credits to families with children in private schools or receiving in-home instruction.
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Patrons--Forbes (By Request) and Nelms; Senators: Earley and Quayle
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Referred to Committee on Rules
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WHEREAS, in recent years, the general public has perceived that the American educational system needs reform and that the challenge of a global economy demands that American students receive an academically rigorous education; and

WHEREAS, localities continue to struggle with the impact of residential growth on schools and all ideas to address this problem must be fully explored; and

WHEREAS, the concept of school choice is complex and presents many issues--administrative, operational, fiscal, and constitutional; and

WHEREAS, there are many approaches to school choice, including tax credits for parents sending children to private schools or educating their children at home; and

WHEREAS, one of the potential benefits of school choice may be some relief for local governing bodies in the funding of educational services, particularly in jurisdictions with growing populations; and

WHEREAS, notwithstanding the potential benefits of school choice, serious issues must be considered, such as concerns that school choice would exacerbate educational disparity and promote resegregation, that religion would become entangled with government through funding, and that only the middle and upper classes would reap the benefits while the poor would continue to attend inadequately equipped and maintained neighborhood schools; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That there is hereby established a joint subcommittee to study the feasibility of tax credits to families with children in private schools or receiving in-home instruction as a means of reducing the fiscal stress of providing education services in localities with growing populations. The joint subcommittee shall be composed of thirteen members to be appointed as follows: four members of the House of Delegates and two citizens, to be appointed by the Speaker and three members of the Senate and one citizen, to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections. The Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Secretaries of Education and Finance or their designees shall serve as voting ex officio members.

The joint subcommittee shall conduct a comprehensive study, taking care to examine all of the ramifications of the issue. In its deliberations, the joint subcommittee shall consider at least the following: (i) tax credit programs and the various options available, (ii) the costs of the various tax credit alternatives, (iii) statutory and constitutional issues related to tax credits, (iv) effects of tax credits on future state revenues, (v) issues related to education of children with disabilities and children for whom English is a second language, and (vi) the effects of tax credits on local government concerns, including educational disparity, public school enrollments, school attendance, shifts in school demographics, and the funding of capital projects.

The Division of Legislative Services shall provide staff support for the study. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide technical assistance upon request as the joint subcommittee may deem appropriate.

The direct costs of this study shall not exceed $ 5,400.

The joint subcommittee shall complete its work in time to submit its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the 1996 Session of the General Assembly as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for processing legislative documents.

Implementation of this resolution is subject to subsequent approval and certification by the Joint Rules Committee. The Committee may withhold expenditures or delay the period for the conduct of the study.