Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes a $6,000 Promise Scholarship for each participating student.

Highlights:

• Establishes “promise scholarship accounts”, which are “consumer directed account[s] established pursuant to this chapter and composed of state funds deposited on behalf of a participating student and which may be used for qualified education expenses” (Page 2).

• Defines “qualified education expenses” as including tuition, fees, textbooks, tutoring services, and computers (Page 3).

• Limits eligibility to Georgia residents who are citizens or otherwise “lawfully present in the United States” (Page 4).

• Specifies that “Subject to appropriations, a participating student shall continue to be eligible to receive account funds until the student returns to a public school, graduates from high school, or reaches the age of 20 years, or for special education students, reaches the age of 21 years” (Page 5).

• Establishes requirements for participating schools (Page 6).

• Limits account funds to $6,000 per school year (Page 7).

• Establishes Parent Review Committee “To assist in the determination of whether certain expenses meet the requirements to be considered a qualified education expense under this chapter” (Page 9).

Full Bill Text