DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — House Democrats have tried once again to push Republicans to debate a bill that would provide school districts with a 6 percent increase in funding for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015.
The attempt by Rep. Sharon Steckman, a Mason City Democrat, to pull the bill out of committee and place it on the House debate calendar failed to get the required 51 votes Tuesday. Steckman is the leading Democrat on the House Education Committee. The Democratic-controlled Senate approved the bill February.
Leaders in the Republican-majority House don't want to consider it until next year even though state law requires the Legislature to set school funding schools more than a year in advance.
Republican House Speaker Kraig Paulsen says he wants to know available tax revenues before making commitments.
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