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GA HB801

Bill

Status

Introduced

1/31/2018

Primary Sponsor

Scott Hilton

Click for details

Origin

House of Representatives

2017-2018 Regular Session

AI Summary

  • Renames the "Georgia Special Needs Scholarship Act" to the "Georgia Special Needs Individualized Education Account Act," expanding allowable uses of scholarship funds beyond private school tuition to include private tutoring, curricula, educational therapies, online learning programs, public school contract services, and up to $500/year for transportation
  • Requires parents to sign an agreement promising to educate the student in core subjects, not enroll the student in public school while participating, and use funds only for authorized expenses
  • Transfers administration of scholarship fund disbursements from the Department of Education to the Office of the State Treasurer, which must develop an electronic payment system and may withhold up to 2% of funds annually for administrative costs
  • Establishes a 10-member Program Review Committee—composed of parents, special education teachers, and licensed physicians or therapists—appointed by the Treasurer to review whether expenditures qualify as authorized expenses and to hear appeals of school or service provider application denials
  • Allows up to 50% of a student's unused annual scholarship funds to roll over to the following year, designates scholarship funds as non-taxable income, and requires an expanded annual report to the General Assembly including parent satisfaction, spending breakdowns by expense type, and fiscal impact analysis

Legislative Description

Georgia Individualized Education Account Act; revise

Last Action

House Second Readers

2/5/2018

Full Bill Text

No bill text available