Legislative leaders decided in the waning days of this year’s session not to include a voucher/tax credit education privatization scheme in the final budget agreement or in the last-minute budget adjustment bills hastily thrown together before legislators left town.

The proposal, championed by House Majority Leader Paul Stam, would provide a dollar-for-dollar tax credit for corporations who donate money to non-profits that provide scholarships for students to attend private or religious schools.

The legislation was based on a similar program in Florida and was introduced not long after a pro-voucher lobbying organization flew a group of lawmakers, including House Speaker Thom Tillis, to Florida to meet with proponents of the program there.

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