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In 2000, Florida began giving state money in the form of vouchers to students in failing schools to attend private schools. Vouchers were thrown out in 2005. Since then, Republican localists to Jeb Bush have been trying to find a way to make them illegal. Today, the Taxation and Budget Reform Commission dealt a death knoll to the voucher idea. Teacher Union attorney Ron Meyer says even though vouchers appear to be dead, he’ll keep watching until the committee goes out of existence in May.

“I think that’s a strong message in support of public education and stopping this trend away from public education, in favor of private and religious education,” Meyer said. “So I’m not going to count it out until the commission doesn’t meet anymore, but I think this is a very positive move in favor of supporting public education.”

The state constitution prohibits state money from supporting religious institutions.