DES MOINES, Iowa - A new commercial from a conservative political group is targeting Iowa's Republican House Speaker.
The ad from the Club for Growth claims Speaker Pat Grassley is stalling a vote on parental choice scholarships for children.
It's referring to a bill already passed by the state Senate that would give certain students taxpayer supported scholarships to attend private schools.
The bill faces a Friday deadline (March 5th) to move forward in the House.
House Republicans have responded to the ad.“As Speaker Grassley has explained, Iowa House Republicans are giving the Governor’s school choice bill the proper vetting it deserves," said Melissa Deatsch, Communications Director for Iowa House Republicans. "Lazy, uninformed attacks like this will not change the way Speaker Grassley or the entire Republican caucus approach legislation of this importance.”
Another provision in the bill makes it easier to form new charter schools.
It further expands some tax credits and make it easier for students to transfer between districts by barring schools from denying transfers based on diversity programs.
The bill passed by a 26-21 margins in the Senate. Some members of the Republican majority in the state legislature have expressed concern over using state money to support private schools.