Area Republican legislators voting for the measure were Chuck Strohm of Jenks and Michael Rogers of Broken Arrow.

Gov. Mary Fallin, Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley and several influential conservative and school-choice groups lobbied hard for HB 2949, which is officially called the Oklahoma Education Savings Account Act.

“Education savings account” is the current term for school vouchers.

Opposing the bill are school boards and school administrators who fear it would further erode public education’s financial resources and those who believe it constitutes an unwise and perhaps illegal transfer of public money to private hands.

Nelson said legislative staff was unable to determine how much the education savings accounts might cost.

The bill would instruct the Department of Education and the state treasurer to deposit money into individual accounts for students who choose not to attend their local public schools. The amount deposited would range from 30 percent to 90 percent of the per-pupil expenditure of the local school, depending on household income and whether the child has special needs.