(AP) -- After eight years of fighting, proponents of helping parents send their children to private schools won approval in the South Carolina House.
The House voted 65-49 Wednesday on a measure supporters say represents a home-grown version of a long-divisive issue fueled by out-of-state money.
It would allow parents to take a $4,000 tax deduction per child for tuition paid, $2,000 for homeschool expenses and $1,000 for children attending a public school outside their district. It would allow people to claim tax credits for donating to newly created nonprofits giving scholarships to poor and disabled students.
Budget advisors expect the bill to reduce state revenues by $37 million in 2012-13.
Various versions of the idea have died since former Gov. Mark Sanford rolled out the first plan in February 2004.
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