Plan Shifting Indiana Voucher Oversight Shelved

Legislative Republicans have shelved a proposal that would shift administration of Indiana's private school voucher program away from the new Democratic state schools superintendent.

The House speaker pulled the bill from consideration Thursday evening, meaning it will miss a legislative deadline for it to advance.

Bill sponsor Rep. Robert Behning of Indianapolis says he agreed with the decision after schools Superintendent Glenda Ritz told him the Department of Education would begin accepting voucher applications in March.

Behning had cited concerns about when the agency would begin accepting voucher applications since Ritz was involved in a lawsuit against it before she won election in November. The bill would have shifted voucher administration to an agency under Republican Gov. Mike Pence.

Ritz says she will implement laws regardless of her personal feelings.