AUGUSTA ( AP) — Gov. Paul LePage’s education agenda has taken a hit from a legislative committee.

The Education and Cultural Affairs Committee on Thursday rejected a proposal that would have allowed public funding for private religious schools and deferred action on a school choice bill pushed by the Republican governor’s administration.

The committee voted to recommend that the full Legislature reject a bill that would remove one sentence from state law that says public money cannot be used to fund religious schools.

The committee also asked the Department of Education to come back to the next Legislature with more information about creating a system that would allow students to enroll in any public school system.