JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri House passed legislation late Wednesday night aiming to address the urban school transfers crisis facing failing schools in the state.

By a 91-64 vote, the House passed legislation that would allow students in failing schools to transfer to public or private non-sectarian schools, paid for with funds from the local school district. The bill limits how much a receiving school district can charge a failing school district.

The private option in the House bill is limited to Kansas City and St. Louis.

The bill received support from a bipartisan group of lawmakers, but was opposed by 24 Republicans and 40 Democrats. It now returns to the state Senate from which it will likely be sent to a conference committee.

The bill comes in response to the crisis in the St. Louis region surrounding the failing Normandy and Riverview Gardens school districts, and ahead of a similar school transfer situation in the Kansas City area.