A bill being contemplated by the Colorado State Legislature could give tax money directly to students through vouchers, instead of channeling it through universities.

If the bill is passed, Iowa lawmakers are anxious to see the results, said Rep. Jim Kurtenbach, R-Nevada.

“My first impression is that the bill would be good for both students and taxpayers,” Kurtenbach said.

The bill would benefit students because the tax money would follow the students more directly, and the schools would compete for students, he said.

Rep. Lisa Heddens, D-Ames, said the voucher system is comparable to giving scholarships to students. Each student would receive roughly $4,600 annually, according to CNN reports.

“I think that the college voucher system is a great concept,” said Heather Davis, junior in child and family services. “I believe that it may be a wonderful opportunity for individuals who otherwise may not have the opportunity to attend college.”

Heddens agreed. “I think this could encourage kids to go to school,” she said.

The voucher system could benefit taxpayers because it may create competition within colleges and universities, Kurtenbach said.

“There would be an introduction of competition into the public enterprise,” he said. “Schools would be less certain of the money they would receive.”

Competition would also be an advantage to colleges and universities.

“A university cannot be all things to all people,” Kurtenbach said. “[The voucher system] will give colleges and universities the opportunity to compete and focus on a narrow mission.”

The proposed bill could also benefit schools financially.

“[The vouchers] could be of benefit to university and college leaders who are hoping that there will be more flexibility if the tuition would need to be increased,” Davis said.

Some concerns regarding the voucher system include how it would adapt to inflation and economic hardships.

“A question that I have is, how will inflation affect these vouchers?” Heddens said. “Will the amount of the voucher increase with inflation?”

Greg Nichols, executive director of the Iowa Board of Regents, said voucher funding may adversely affect the university’s ability to fulfill its broader roles in public service and research.

“In this time, when research is so important to improving the economy and the quality of health care is so important to our quality of life, we want to maintain and protect those functions,” he said.

Heddens and Kurtenbach both said there is no way to know if Iowa would adopt a program like the voucher system.