The General Assembly on Tuesday gave final approval to a ground-breaking school choice bill that would eventually provide scholarships for children to leave public schools for private institutions.

The Senate approved HB 1133 by a vote of 32 to 20, sending it to Gov. Sonny Perdue for consideration. The vote was largely along party lines.

If Perdue signs the bill into law, private citizens and corporations could get income tax credits for donating money to non-profit scholarship organizations. Those organizations, in turn, would provide scholarships to parents who want to pull their children out of public schools and send them to private ones.

Rep. David Casas (R-Lilburn), sponsored the bill. Following the Senate vote, he hailed the passage of what could be the most impactful school choice legislation to clear the Legislature in decades.

"It's a big day for the state," Casas said.

Casas said Perdue's staff has not committed to signing or vetoing the bill.

The House has yet to consider the other major school choice bill still spending, SB 458 http://www.legis.ga.gov/legis/2007_08/sum/sb458.htm , which would grant taxpayer-funded vouchers to students to attend private school, if their public school receives failing grades for seven consecutive years or loses its accreditation.