The Alabama House passed a bill Tuesday night saying no public or private schools has to accept a student transferring from a failing public school under the new Alabama Accountability Act.
The bill by Republican Rep. Jim Carns of Mountain Brook passed 62-40 and now goes to the Senate. Proponents said the bill keeps some systems from being overrun with transfers they can't afford. Opponents said it gives affluent suburban school systems a reason to reject transfers from inner-city schools.
Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh of Anniston proposed a different bill to make more changes in the law. But Marsh said his bill is stalled because of disagreements over what changes to make in the new law, and he will try to get Carns' bill through the Senate.