Senator Throws Down over Charter Schools Bill

State Sen. Erik Wells has effectively withdrawn his proposal to allow charter schools in West Virginia -- but not without calling out groups representing teachers that opposed the bill, The Associated Press reports.

Wells, D-Kanawha, "gave an emotional speech to the Senate on Tuesday, in which he accused the unions of attacking his family over his daughter attending a private school," the article said.

Wells then "moved to recommit his bill to the Finance Committee, effectively killing it," writes AP's Tom Breen. "Wells says he didn't want to put his fellow senators in the position of risking the unions' wrath by voting on the bill."

It took several voice votes for President Earl Ray Tomblin to conclude that Wells' motion prevailed: supporters of the bill (and, of Wells' stance) sought to keep the measure headed toward a floor vote.