Shortly after midnight Tuesday night, the Indiana Senate passed controversial bill Senate Bill 1 with a vote of 27 to 22, sending it to Governor Mike Braun’s desk. The current version of the bill would allow homeowners to claim a tax credit worth 10% of their property tax bill up to $300. However, if a homeowner’s bill is $3,000 or more, then they would receive the full amount under the bill.

Governor Braun celebrated the bill, saying on social media:

“Today I signed historic tax relief for Hoosiers into law. Nearly every Hoosier, homeowner, farmer, and business owner will benefit from tax cuts, reforms, and stronger taxpayer protections!”

Before the Senate could discuss further before voting, numerous members of the Indiana State Teachers Association (ISTA), students, and activists gathered in the statehouse to protest the bill. With the tax credits homeowners could claim, the bill could take millions of dollars worth of funding from public schools.

“As much as I like to get a tax break as a taxpayer, this will definitely affect monies coming to schools,” said Kraig Binkerd, a geometry teacher at Highland Middle School. “My guess is we’re going to see cuts in special ed or other areas of need.”

Other teachers have expressed the same opinion on the bill.

“I think Senate Bill 1 will kill schools, like, public schools as we know them,” said Joshua Dillard, a PLTW teacher at Anderson High School. “I don’t agree with it, personally because right now, public schools and charter schools are not on the same playing field.”