An education bill that included a provision calling for public hearings on Norwich Free Academy budgets died without a vote in the state House of Representatives on the final day of the legislative session Wednesday.

The bill, proposed by Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, initially had contained stronger language allowing the eight school districts that send students to NFA as their designated public high school to place voting members on the NFA board of trustees. NFA officials and alumni supporters testified strongly against provisions they said would rob the academy of its governing and financial independence.

That language was removed prior to Senate approval of the bill, leaving only the budget public hearing provision for NFA, Woodstock Academy and the Gilbert School, the three privately endowed designated public high schools in the state.

The bill was among dozens on the lengthy agenda for the House on the final day of the session and did not come up for a vote before the session adjourned. The bill could come up again during a special budget session, however, and NFA will be monitoring it, NFA’s communications director Geoffrey P. Serra said by email Thursday.

Typically NFA administrators present the budget highlights to the board of trustees during a public meeting, and the board votes on the budget in public. But the board does not hold a public hearing or allow for public comment during its meetings.

c.bessette@theday.com