Treat's school choice bill fails in late night Senate vote

 

I'll have more on this later, but State Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat's school choice bill (SB 1647) failed in a vote on the Senate floor late last night. The measure would have given (in something roughly akin to an education savings account) something in the ball park of $3,500 to students to attend private schools instead of public schools.

Here is a link to a text version of the roll call vote pictured above.

The measure received one Democrat vote in favor (Brooks) and twenty one Republican votes. In opposition were seven Democrats and seventeen Republicans (mostly rural).

I've published several posts voicing concerns that the homeschool community had with SB 1647; Treat removed home educators from the bill in committee. However, rural schools also weighed in heavily against the measure, and it shows on the roll call vote.

The vote was held open for a lengthy amount of time (around two hours), and was 24-22 in favor at one point. GOP Senators Jake Merrick and David Bullard switched to 'nay' before the conclusion of the vote.

Sen. Nathan Dahm (R-Broken Arrow) was in Washington, D.C., at a fundraiser for his U.S. Senate campaign, and missed the vote.

This is a good point from two reporters at the State Capitol: