A bill in the Arizona House of Representatives seeks to help school teachers keep their classrooms stocked.

House Bill 2373 would grant school districts and charter schools money to give each teacher $150 to help defray the costs of school supplies that teachers shell out.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Kirsten Engel (D-Tucson), said that teachers, on average, spend upwards of $500 on school supplies yearly.

"They’re going to Target and Walmart and Kmart," Engel said, "and they’re buying those pencil sharpeners and extra notebook paper and construction paper and things you just need to teach our kids basic subjects in school."

Engel said it would be a relatively small cost to the state to help teachers.

"This provides much needed assistance to our teachers, and through them, to our kids," she said.

The bill passed the House Education Committee on Monday. It awaits the Appropriations Committee, before it can make its way to the House floor and to the Senate.