House Bill 249 is Rep. Merlynn Newbold's second attempt to give state-funded vouchers to students with disabilities - amounting to $1.7 million next year - to attend private schools that may better suit their needs.

"By and large our public schools are doing the job that is necessary," said Newbold, a South Jordan Republican. But in cases where schools don't, she said parents deserve options.

Last year her bill made it through the Legislature, only to be vetoed by then-Gov. Olene Walker, who cited constitutional concerns and didn't want to set a precedent where public-education funds were diverted to private schools.

But supporters have newfound confidence, since Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. pledged to support the measure.

HB249 now moves to the Senate. If it passes there, as expected, parents would receive annual scholarships equal to the amount the state earmarks for disabled public-school students. Newbold said Utah's number of special-needs students has shot up 2,000 from last year to 5,400. Autistic children alone, she said, have increased by 172 percent.

Other eligible students would include those with traumatic brain injury, mental retardation, serious emotional disturbance, learning disabilities, or a hearing, vision, speech or language impairment. Five-to-8-year-olds with developmental delays also would qualify.

Depending on the severity of a child's needs, the annual scholarships would range from $3,275 to $5,450, while kindergartners would be allotted $1,200.

Bill opponents said the measure would only benefit children living in the vicinity of qualifying private schools, such as the Carmen B. Pingree School for Children with Autism in Salt Lake City.

jravitz@sltrib.com