A House bill to allow districts of innovation for public schools has been amended to include a charter schools pilot program.

The bill passed the Senate Education Committee 6-2 Tuesday with one abstention.

The original bill by House Education Committee Chairman Rep. Carl Rollins, a Democrat from Midway, would allow the Kentucky Department of Education to authorize the creation of districts of innovation, which are charter-school like reforms for regular public schools.

Republican Rep. Brad Montell of Shelbyville offered a substitute that would keep all of the Rollins bill intact but also create a pilot program for up to 20 actual charter schools, half of them in economically depressed areas.

The schools would be authorized by local school districts or a charter school commission.