Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that expands empowerment scholarship accounts for public and private schools.

Highlights:

• Classifies “qualified student” as including, but not limited to the following (Sec. 1-9):

• Identified as having a disability;

• Identified by a school district or by an independent third party;

• A child with a disability who is eligible to receive services from a school district;

• A previous recipient of a scholarship; and

• A child who is the sibling of a current or previous Arizona Empowerment Scholarship account recipient or of an eligible qualified student who accepts the terms of and enrolls in an Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account.

• Prohibits use monies deposited in the qualified student's account for any of the following (Sec. Sec. 2.B-6):

• Computer hardware or other technological devices;

• Transportation of the pupil; and

• Consumable educational supplies, including paper, pens, or markers.

• Specifies a child who participates in an Arizona Empowerment Scholarship account continues to be entitled to an equitable share of the funding that would otherwise be allocated to a charter school or school district that the Classroom Site Fund established (Sec. 2.B.D).

• Requires the Arizona Department of Education to notify the parent that the qualified student's account will be closed in sixty calendar days if a parent does not renew the qualified student's Arizona empowerment scholarship account for three academic years (Sec. 2.I).

• Authorizes the state board of education to refer cases of substantial misuse of monies to the attorney general for collection or a criminal investigation if the state board of education obtains evidence of fraudulent use of an account (Sec. 3.E).

• Authorizes the state board of education to adopt rules and policies necessary to administer the Arizona empowerment scholarship accounts, including rules and policies (Sec. 3.H).:

• For establishing an appeals process;

• For conducting or contracting for examinations of the use of account monies;

• For conducting or contracting for random, quarterly and annual reviews of accounts;

• For establishing or contracting for the establishment of an online anonymous fraud reporting service;

• For establishing an anonymous telephone hotline for fraud reporting; and

• That require a surety bond or insurance for account holders

Full Bill Text