Charter school amendment to wait for more debate

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

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.