A controversial teacher bill took another step forward in its legislative journey Monday as it narrowly passed the House appropriations committee to set up a vote today on the House floor, The Denver Post reports.

But Monday’s 7-6 approval in committee of Senate Bill 191 was fraught with emotion, a recurring theme as the bitterly fought legislation linking teacher evaluations to student academic growth and changing the way teachers get and keep nonprobationary status makes its way through the legislature.