Gov. Mark Sanford’s proposal to give tax breaks to parents who send their children to private schools passed its first legislative test Thursday.

A House panel voted 3-2 to move the controversial bill — dubbed “Put Parents in Charge” by supporters — to the full Ways and Means Committee.

But it’s unclear whether it will survive its next challenge, which could come as early as next week.

The proposal would allow parents with taxable incomes of up to $75,000 to take tax credits for home-school expenses or to send their children to private school or another public school.

It also would allow anyone to donate to private school scholarships what they would have paid in taxes.

“It’s something we certainly hope continues to move forward through the process, and the governor will continue to push for it,” Sanford spokesman Will Folks said Thursday.

Several lawmakers said they planned to offer amendments. But they agreed to wait until the full Ways and Means Committee takes up the bill.

“The committee wanted to debate the bill unamended,” said Rep. Shirley Hinson, R-Berkeley, who chairs the subcommittee.

A long-anticipated report on how the bill would affect state finances likely will be released then, as well.

The amendments and the fiscal impact statement are expected to help lawmakers on the committee decide whether to pass the bill to the full House.

But momentum appears to be against the proposal. Rep. Jim McGee, R-Florence, said Thursday he wasn’t sure whether the bill had the votes to get out of committee.

Also, a group of about a dozen business leaders wants to study the tax credit — possibly by visiting states that already have similar programs. That likely wouldn’t happen until after the legislative session ends in June, said Hunter Howard, S.C. Chamber of Commerce president and CEO.

The vote for the bill came a day after members of the House subcommittee heard what the public thought about it during a four-hour hearing.

Parents, teachers, and business and political leaders at Wednesday’s hearing gave emotional arguments for and against the bill.

Supporters say competition from private schools would force public schools to improve.

Opponents say it would siphon money from the public schools and other state programs. They also say a tax credit would not help poor children in rural counties whose parents pay little in taxes.

The amendments lawmakers plan to file are designed to address some of the concerns about the bill.

McGee, a co-sponsor of the tax credit bill, supports a voucher program that would allow parents to transfer their children from failing schools to other public or private schools.

Instead of parents getting a tax credit, the child’s original school would reimburse the new school for up to 75 percent of the projected per-pupil cost.

“We’re trying to help people who need the most help,” he said.

Hinson plans to recommend an amendment setting up a pilot program to test the proposal. She also wants to make sure poor children in all counties would be able to get scholarships to pay for private school tuition.

Voting in favor of the bill Thursday were Hinson, McGee and Rep. Chip Limehouse, R-Charleston. Democratic Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter of Orangeburg voted against it.

Rep. Alex Harvin, D-Clarendon, didn’t attend the meeting, but he sent word that he opposed the bill.

Reach Talhelm at (803) 771-8339 or jtalhelm@thestate.com.The Associated Press contributed to this story.