By SCOTT POWELLLedger Staff Writer

The Put Parents in Charge tuition tax credit bill is headed to the state House of Representatives in a weakened state.

The House Ways and Means Committee voted 12-9 on Monday to approve an amendment limiting the school choice plan to a pilot project in two school districts. The state Department of Education would select a wealthy and poorer district to pilot allowing parents to claim tax credits for the cost of their children attending a private school, home school, or transfer to another public school.

The bill approved by the committee places a $10,000 limit on the amount of money that individuals and corporations could donate to scholarship granting organizations. Previously, there were no limit on tax credits.

The state Board of Economic Advisors has estimated the original Put Parents in Charge proposal would cost $231 million. Families with taxable income of less than $75,000 would have been eligible for the tax credits.

Will Folks, a spokesman for Gov. Mark Sanford, said the governor would work to have the act reinstated as a statewide program in the House.

State Reps. Lanny Littlejohn (R-Pacolet) and DeWitt McCraw (D-Gaffney) were among the committee members who voted against sending the bill to the House.

“It’s a very astronomical cost with a lot of uncertainties over how it would affect public education,” Littlejohn said.

The committee sent the bill to the House floor following a lengthy debate in which a variety of amendments were considered.

Committee members did restore funding for firefighters, which was threatened by Sanford’s proposed tax credit for insurance premiums. The committee also approved an amendment that would enable contributors to public schools to qualify for the same dollar for dollar tax credits Sanford has sought for private schools.

The bill would have to be approved by the House before May 1 in order to be considered this legislative session.

“I am a strong supporter of public education. The cost of this bill is tremendous,” McCraw said..”