School choice and vouchers are good ideas. There has been a lot of debate and it seems many of the misunderstandings are being cleared up. This morning, the House Education Committee continued it’s discussion on House Bill 944, Opportunity Scholarship Act and passed it on a vote of 27-21. It’s headed for the House Appropriations Committee next.
Those members voting yes to provide $4,200 voucher to enable families qualifying for free and reduced lunch to have the option to send their child to a private school:
Dean Arp (R-Union)
Marcus Brandon (D-Guilford)
Brian Brown (R-Pitt)
Rob Bryan (R-Mecklenburg)
Dana Bumgardner (R-Gaston)
George Cleveland (R-Onslow)
Jeff Collins (R-Nash)
Jimmy Dixon (R-Duplin)
Jerry Dockham (R-Davidson)
Jon Hardister (R-Guilford)
Craig Horn (R-Union)
Frank Iler (R-Brunswick)
Charles Jeter (R-Mecklenburg)
Bert Jones (R-Rockingham)
Jonathan Jordan (R-Ashe)
Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth)
Chris Malone (R-Wake)
Susan Martin (R-Wilson)
Larry Pittman (R-Cabarrus)
Michelle Presnell (R-Yancey)
Dennis Riddell (R-Alamance)
Jacqueline Schaffer (R-Mecklenburg)
Michael Speciale (R-Craven)
Paul Stam (R-Wake)
John Torbett (R-Gaston)
Rena Turner (R-Iredell)
Harry Warren (R-Rowan)
Those members voting no on the Opportunity Scholarship Act:
Alma Adams (D-Guilford)
Larry Bell (D- Sampson)
Becky Carney (D-Mecklenburg)
Tricia Cotham (D-Mecklenburg)
Jeffrey Elmore (R-Wilkes)
Susan Fisher (D-Buncombe)
Rosa Gill (D-Wake)
Rick Glazier (D-Cumberland)
Charles Graham (D-Robeson)
George Graham (D-Lenoir)
Larry Hall (D-Durham)
Marvin Lucas (D-Cumberland)
Paul Luebke (D-Durham)
Mickey Michaux (D-Durham)
Deborah Ross (D-Wake)
Paul Tine (D-Dare)
Joe Tolson (D-Edgecombe)
Chris Whitmire (R-Transylvania)
Winkie Wilkins (D-Person)
Josh Dobson (R-McDowell)
Deb McManus (D-Chatham)
As presiding Chair of the House Ed Committee, Linda Johnson (R-Cabarrus) did not vote.
These members were absent today:
Leo Daughtry (R-Johnston)
Chair J.H. Langdon (R-Johnston)
Jason Saine (R-Lincloln)
Phil Shepard (R- Onslow)
