Charter school amendment to wait for more debate

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By Christopher Quinn

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The state House of Representatives will let a proposed charter school constitutional amendment rest until at least next week.

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Majority Whip Ed Lindsey, R-Atlanta, left, Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, R-Milton, center, and Spiro Amburn, Speaker's Office Chief of Staff, look over the House during the debate over House Resolution 1162on Feb. 8, 2012. The House failed to pass this constitutional amendment for Charter Schools with 110 votes, 10 short of the 120 required for passage.

Jason Getz, jgetz@ajc.com Majority Whip Ed Lindsey, R-Atlanta, left, Speaker Pro Tem Jan Jones, R-Milton, center, and Spiro Amburn, Speaker's Office Chief of Staff, look over the House during the debate over House Resolution 1162on Feb. 8, 2012. The House failed to pass this constitutional amendment for Charter Schools with 110 votes, 10 short of the 120 required for passage.

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It voted 114-49 Thursday to reconsider the amendment, which did not gain a necessary two-thirds majority vote Wednesday. That means it will be up to the House Rules Committee to send it back to the floor, where Speaker David Ralston, R-Blue Ridge, can call for another debate. Legislators ended the session Thursday and will take a long weekend, returning to work Wednesday.

The Legislature is trying to address a court ruling that struck down the state's ability to approve charter schools. A bipartisan group proposed a constitutional amendment, but it failed to pass because of concerns over whether state money for charter schools would affect local school budgets and expansion of state government powers.