After nearly two hours of public comment, the House Education Committee passed the bill to the House floor on a 9-6 vote.

The committee heard 90-second comments from more than 30 people who were equally split on the issue. Their comments were polite but impassioned, with several breaking into tears. One person was asked to leave after cheering the comments of Rep. Carol Spackman Moss, D-Holladay, who opposed the bill.

Now HB148's fate rests with the full House, which will debate it beginning at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Opponents believe the vote will be close, but House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy, has said he won't bring the bill to the floor without enough votes to pass it. Senate leaders are confident they have enough votes to pass voucher legislation.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Steve Urquhart, R-St. George, would help parents transfer their children to private schools by letting them put public money toward tuition. Any parent with a child in public school would qualify for a voucher worth $500 to $3,000 per child, depending on the family's income. A legislative fiscal analyst estimates the bill would cost more than $9 million from the state's general fund in 2008.

Public support for the bill came mostly from parents who spoke about how their children had struggled in public schools but had blossomed in private or charter schools. Others attested to successes of voucher systems in other states and local scholarship programs that help poor families afford private schools. Many expressed support for the public system but said they wanted the chance to choose other options.

"Is it really fair to expect one system to meet all the needs of our diverse population?" asked Carolyn Sharette, director of American Preparatory Academy, who spoke as a parent. "I would argue it's not fair to expect the public system to do it all."

Opponents of the bill included parents and public school representatives who voiced ideological opposition to giving public money to private entities, saying tax money should fund an excellent public education system for the common good, not subsidize the alternative choices of a few. Several speakers cited many choices already available to parents, including charter, magnet, home and private schools. Others worried the bill was unconstitutional and lacked accountability controls for the private schools that would receive the money.

"Why do we want to be a breakout state?" asked Dee Burningham, who identified himself as a "grandfather of 20." "If we pass this bill, we will lead the nation in the broadness of focus and the number of people served by this program."

nstricker@sltrib.com

HB148

* The bill would allow Utah parents of public school children to use state funds to pay for private school tuition.

* What's next: Debate on the House floor at 10:30 a.m. Thursday.