Alabama 2023 Regular Session

Alabama House Bill HB295 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	HB295INTRODUCED
2	2	Page 0
3	3	0XL5CC-1
4	4	By Representatives Yarbrough, Harrison, DuBose, Butler
5	5	RFD: Ways and Means Education
6	6	First Read: 11-Apr-23
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11	11	5 0XL5CC-1 04/11/2023 KMS (L)cr 2023-1461
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13	13	SYNOPSIS:
14	14	This bill would create the Parental Rights in
15	15	Children's Education (PRICE) Act for K-12 education.
16	16	This bill would secure the fundamental
17	17	constitutional rights of parents to direct the
18	18	education of their children according to their
19	19	religious faith, beliefs, values, and morals.
20	20	This bill would create and provide for the PRICE
21	21	Program and would establish a three-year phase-in
22	22	period.
23	23	This bill would establish the roles and
24	24	responsibilities of the Parent Advisory Board, the
25	25	Commissioner of Revenue, and the State Department of
26	26	Revenue.
27	27	This bill would provide for the funding of the
28	28	PRICE ESA Fund and the PRICE Administration Fund for
29	29	the costs of administrating the PRICE Program.
30	30	This bill would provide for the implementation
31	31	and administration of the PRICE Program and the use of
32	32	education savings accounts.
33	33	This bill would specify the qualified expenses
34	34	that may be paid from an education savings account.
35	35	This bill would retain the autonomy of nonpublic
36	36	schools and prevent additional state control over or
37	37	interference with nonpublic schools, their students,
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67	67	and families.
68	68	This bill would provide for the auditing,
69	69	denials, and appeals of the PRICE Program and the
70	70	suspension of parents, participating students, and
71	71	education service providers.
72	72	This bill would also provide for legal remedies.
73	73	A BILL
74	74	TO BE ENTITLED
75	75	AN ACT
76	76	Relating to education; to establish the Parental Rights
77	77	in Children's Education (PRICE) Act relating to K-12
78	78	education; to secure the fundamental constitutional rights of
79	79	parents to direct the education of their children; to create
80	80	the PRICE Program; to establish a three-year phase-in period;
81	81	to provide definitions; to establish the roles and
82	82	responsibilities of the Parent Advisory Board, the
83	83	Commissioner of Revenue, and the Department of Revenue; to
84	84	create a process for granting education savings accounts; to
85	85	establish funding mechanisms for the costs of education
86	86	savings accounts and the administration of the program; to
87	87	specify qualified expenses; to create requirements for
88	88	education service providers; to establish an auditing, denial,
89	89	and appeal mechanism for expenses, parents, participating
90	90	students, and education service providers; to provide
91	91	safeguards against any additional state control over or
92	92	interference with nonpublic schools, their students, and their
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122	122	families; and to provide for legal remedies.
123	123	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
124	124	Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as
125	125	the Parental Rights in Children's Education (PRICE) Act.
126	126	Section 2. The Legislature finds and declares all of
127	127	the following:
128	128	(1) Because education is critical to the well being of
129	129	children, Alabama made the education of all school-age
130	130	children residing in this state mandatory and parents
131	131	responsible for the school attendance of their children.
132	132	(2) Parental involvement is essential for the academic
133	133	success and healthy development of children, strong families,
134	134	and a prosperous state. Parental involvement must therefore be
135	135	strongly valued and supported in the education of their
136	136	children. Parents generally know their children best, love
137	137	their children most, and from time immemorial have
138	138	traditionally been the primary advocates of the best interests
139	139	of their children.
140	140	(3) Parents have a fundamental constitutional right to
141	141	direct the upbringing and education of their children and to
142	142	impart to their children their faith, beliefs, values, and
143	143	morals through education and by choosing the type of
144	144	education, including nonpublic schools, their children
145	145	receive.
146	146	(4) If a state provides tuition assistance to parents
147	147	of children for a nonpublic K-12 education, the state may not
148	148	bar those parents from selecting religious schools due to
149	149	their religious affiliation or the religious instruction they
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179	179	provide. Carson v. Makin, 142 S.Ct. 1987 (2022).
180	180	(5) A state education funding program that is neutral
181	181	on its face and generally available, including religious
182	182	schools, does not violate the Establishment Clause of the
183	183	First Amendment to the United States Constitution. Espinosa v.
184	184	Montana Department of Revenue, 140 S.Ct. 2246 (2020).
185	185	(6) A state education funding program that prohibits
186	186	parents from choosing religious schools simply because they
187	187	are religious, violates the rights of parents under the Free
188	188	Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the United States
189	189	Constitution. Espinosa v. Montana Department of Revenue, 140
190	190	S.Ct. 2246 (2020).
191	191	(7) Section 16-1-11(5), Code of Alabama 1975, provides
192	192	that "regulation by the state, including the State Department
193	193	of Education, the State Board of Education, or the State
194	194	Superintendent of Education, of any school with a religious
195	195	affiliation would be an unconstitutional burden on religious
196	196	activities in direct violation of the Alabama Religious
197	197	Freedom Amendment and the First Amendment to the United States
198	198	Constitution; and further that the State of Alabama has no
199	199	compelling interest to burden by license or regulation
200	200	nonpublic schools, which include private, church, parochial,
201	201	and religious schools offering educational instruction in
202	202	grades K-12, as well as home-based schools and home-schooled
203	203	students."
204	204	(8) This act intends to prevent discrimination against
205	205	parents who must pay both tuition and taxes if they choose a
206	206	nonpublic education, or who are denied that right because of a
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236	236	lack of funds, and to prevent violations of the Alabama
237	237	Religious Freedom Amendment and both the Establishment Clause
238	238	and the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment to the
239	239	United States Constitution.
240	240	Section 3. For the purposes of this act, the following
241	241	terms shall have the following meanings:
242	242	(1) ASSIGNED PUBLIC SCHOOL. The school to which an
243	243	eligible recipient or participating student is assigned based
244	244	on his or her Alabama address.
245	245	(2) BOARD. The Parent Advisory Board.
246	246	(3) COMMISSIONER. The Commissioner of Revenue.
247	247	(4) CURRICULUM. A course of study for content areas or
248	248	grade levels, including any supplemental materials or
249	249	resources required, recommended, or complementary to a course
250	250	of study.
251	251	(5) DEPARTMENT. The State Department of Revenue.
252	252	(6) EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT (ESA). An account in
253	253	which funds are deposited by the department for the parent of
254	254	a participating student to pay qualifying expenses.
255	255	(7) EDUCATION SERVICE PROVIDER. A participating school,
256	256	organization, vendor, or individual that provides educational
257	257	goods and services to participating students.
258	258	(8) ELIGIBLE RECIPIENT. A student who is a resident of
259	259	this state, a citizen of the United States, and eligible to
260	260	enroll in his or her assigned public school.
261	261	(9) NONPUBLIC SCHOOL. A nongovernment K-12 school
262	262	offering educational instruction. The term includes private
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293	293	including home-based education programs.
294	294	(10) PARENT. The biological or adoptive parent, legal
295	295	guardian, custodian, or other individual with legal authority
296	296	to act on behalf of an eligible recipient or participating
297	297	student.
298	298	(11) PARTICIPATING SCHOOL. Any public school or
299	299	nonpublic school that provides educational services to K-12
300	300	participating students.
301	301	(12) PARTICIPATING STUDENT. A resident of this state
302	302	and a citizen of the United States who is an elementary,
303	303	secondary, or postsecondary school student and uses ESA funds
304	304	pursuant to this act.
305	305	(13) PRICE PROGRAM. The program created by this act
306	306	which provides funds for a participating student's ESA to pay
307	307	for education instructional goods and services.
308	308	(14) QUALIFYING EXPENSES. Education expenses listed in
309	309	Section 9(a) that may be paid for by a parent with ESA funds
310	310	on behalf of a participating student.
311	311	Section 4. (a) The annual ESA amount for each
312	312	participating student shall be six thousand nine hundred
313	313	dollars ($6,900) for the 2024-2025 school year, and shall be
314	314	adjusted annually by the department based on the percentage
315	315	change of the Education Trust Fund's share of the Foundation
316	316	Program from the prior year, if positive. The amount of
317	317	funding for a participating student for less than a full
318	318	fiscal year shall be prorated based on the portion of the
319	319	fiscal year the student receives funds from an ESA.
320	320	(b) The PRICE ESA Fund is created in the State Treasury
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350	350	to receive appropriations from the Legislature for the funding
351	351	of ESAs as provided by this act. The Legislature shall make
352	352	appropriations to this fund in amounts sufficient to fully
353	353	fund the projected amount of ESA deposits to be made the
354	354	proceeding fiscal year. Any monies remaining in the fund at
355	355	the end of a fiscal year shall not revert but shall remain in
356	356	the fund and are reappropriated for the purposes authorized by
357	357	this act.
358	358	(c) Each school year the department shall make periodic
359	359	deposits, equaling the total ESA amount, into the ESA of a
360	360	participating student beginning no later than August 1. Any
361	361	funds remaining in an ESA at the end of a fiscal year may be
362	362	carried over to the next fiscal year upon successful renewal
363	363	of the ESA or until any of the conditions in
364	364	subdivision(b)(13) or subsection (d) of Section 7 are met.
365	365	(d) The PRICE Administration Fund is created in the
366	366	State Treasury for the administration of the PRICE Program by
367	367	the department. The lesser of two million dollars
368	368	($2,000,000), or three percent of the amount appropriated each
369	369	fiscal year to the PRICE ESA Fund, shall be transferred each
370	370	fiscal year from the PRICE ESA Fund to the PRICE
371	371	Administration Fund. The expenses incurred by the department
372	372	in carrying out this act shall be paid from monies in the
373	373	PRICE Administration Fund. The Legislature may make additional
374	374	appropriations to the PRICE Administration Fund upon a showing
375	375	of the need for additional monies in the administration of the
376	376	PRICE Program. Any monies remaining in the fund at the end of
377	377	each fiscal year shall revert to the PRICE ESA Fund.
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407	407	(e) No monies shall be withdrawn or expended from the
408	408	funds created in this section for any purpose unless the
409	409	monies have been appropriated by the Legislature and allocated
410	410	pursuant to this act. Any monies appropriated shall be
411	411	budgeted and allotted pursuant to the Budget Management Act in
412	412	accordance with Article 4, commencing with Section 41-4-80 of
413	413	Chapter 4 of Title 41, Code of Alabama 1975, and only in the
414	414	amounts provided by the Legislature in the general
415	415	appropriations act or other appropriations act.
416	416	Section 5. The PRICE Program shall be phased in over a
417	417	three-year period as follows:
418	418	(1) Commencing with the 2024-2025 school year, any
419	419	child who is, was, or would have been eligible to enter
420	420	kindergarten pursuant to Section 16-28-4, Code of Alabama
421	421	1975, during that school year, or who will be enrolled in the
422	422	third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth grades during that school
423	423	year, or who is zoned for the lowest 30 percent of K-12 public
424	424	schools based on the state standardized assessment in reading
425	425	and math in the preceding year, qualifies for special
426	426	education, is homeless, is in foster care, or is the child of
427	427	a parent who is on active duty, serves in a reserve component
428	428	of the United States Armed Forces, or was killed in the line
429	429	of duty, along with the siblings of any eligible child
430	430	pursuant to this subdivision, may apply for participating
431	431	student status for the 2024-2025 school year, and each school
432	432	year thereafter.
433	433	(2) Commencing with the 2025-2026 school year, in
434	434	addition to the students eligible for participating student
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464	464	status under subdivision (1), any child who is, was, or would
465	465	have been eligible to enter kindergarten pursuant to Section
466	466	16-28-4, Code of Alabama 1975, during that school year, or who
467	467	will be enrolled in the third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth
468	468	grades during that school year, or who is zoned for the lowest
469	469	30 percent of K-12 public schools based on the state
470	470	standardized assessment in reading and math in the preceding
471	471	year, qualifies for special education, is homeless, is in
472	472	foster care, or is a child of a parent who is on active duty,
473	473	serves in a reserve component of the United States Armed
474	474	Forces, or was killed in the line of duty, along with the
475	475	siblings of any eligible child pursuant to this subdivision,
476	476	may apply for participating student status for the 2025-2026
477	477	school year, and each school year thereafter.
478	478	(3) For every school year thereafter, any child who is
479	479	an eligible recipient in the State of Alabama may apply for or
480	480	renew his or her participating student status.
481	481	Section 6. (a) There is created the Parent Advisory
482	482	Board. The board shall do all of the following:
483	483	(1) Consult with state departments or agencies, and
484	484	parents or administrators from the categories of education
485	485	options listed in subdivision (b)(4), as appropriate to carry
486	486	out these responsibilities.
487	487	(2) Review and provide recommendations to the
488	488	department on all of the following:
489	489	a. The implementation, administration, and improvement
490	490	of the PRICE Program policies, procedures, and systems.
491	491	b. The concerns and complaints of parents of
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521	521	participating students.
522	522	c. Questionable education service providers and other
523	523	qualified expenses.
524	524	d. Appeals of denied expenses and the barring of
525	525	parents and education service providers from the PRICE Program
526	526	pursuant to Section 13.
527	527	(b) The membership of the board shall consist of the
528	528	following members:
529	529	(1) The commissioner, or his or her designee, shall
530	530	serve as chair of the board and shall be a nonvoting member
531	531	unless there is a tie.
532	532	(2) The Governor, or his or her designee.
533	533	(3) The Lieutenant Governor, or his or her designee.
534	534	(4) The President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the
535	535	Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint
536	536	four parents of eligible recipients intending to participate
537	537	or of participating students, one from each of the following
538	538	four categories, as listed in Sections 16-1-11.2 and
539	539	16-1-11.3, Code of Alabama 1975:
540	540	a. Private schools (non-religious and religious).
541	541	b. Church schools.
542	542	c. Parochial schools.
543	543	d. Home-based education programs.
544	544	(5) The Minority Leader of the Senate and the Minority
545	545	Leader of the House of Representatives shall each appoint one
546	546	parent of an eligible recipient intending to participate or of
547	547	a participating student, which shall be from one of the four
548	548	categories listed under subdivision (4).
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578	578	(c) The appointed members, as provided in subdivisions
579	579	(4) and (5) of subsection (b), shall initially serve staggered
580	580	terms of one, two, or three years as determined by the chair.
581	581	An appointment to fill a vacancy shall be made from the
582	582	corresponding category by the original appointing authority
583	583	for the remainder of the unexpired term. Board members may
584	584	serve up to two additional three-year terms thereafter.
585	585	(d) A parent may not serve on the board if he or she is
586	586	an employee or immediate relative of an employee of the State
587	587	Department of Education or provides goods or services to the
588	588	state to directly implement or administer the PRICE Program.
589	589	(e) A board member shall recuse himself or herself from
590	590	voting on any issue where he or she has a substantial
591	591	financial interest, or other conflict of interest excluding
592	592	the receipt of an ESA for his or her participating student.
593	593	(f) A board member may be removed or replaced by the
594	594	board at any time pursuant to a two-thirds majority vote of
595	595	the membership of the board.
596	596	(g) All members of the board shall be citizens of the
597	597	United States and legal residents of Alabama during his or her
598	598	entire term. The appointing authorities shall coordinate their
599	599	appointments to assure the board membership is inclusive and
600	600	reflects the racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and
601	601	economic diversity of the state. Board member designees and
602	602	parent appointments shall be selected from qualified
603	603	individuals tho are well informed on nonpublic education
604	604	options, acquainted with the PRICE Program procedures, and in
605	605	touch with other parents who will be using the program
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635	635	(h) Members shall serve without compensation. The
636	636	department shall pay all reasonable and necessary expenses,
637	637	including per diem or actual travel expenses incurred in the
638	638	conduct of official duties, from the PRICE Administration Fund
639	639	at the same rate paid to state employees.
640	640	(i) The board shall meet in person at least quarterly.
641	641	Additionally, at the request of any board member, the board
642	642	may meet in person or virtually to transact business at any
643	643	time.
644	644	(j) A majority of the members of the Board shall
645	645	constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, unless
646	646	otherwise provided in this section.
647	647	(k) A vice chair shall be selected by a majority of the
648	648	entire membership of the board and shall preside over meetings
649	649	in the absence of the chair.
650	650	(l) The board is subject to the Alabama Open Meetings
651	651	Act, Chapter 25A of Title 36, Code of Alabama 1975, and the
652	652	open records law, Chapter 12 of Title 36, Code of Alabama
653	653	1975.
654	654	Section 7. (a) Rules, policies, and procedures adopted
655	655	by the department to implement and administer this act shall
656	656	do all of the following:
657	657	(1) Avoid bureaucracy or prescriptive mandates and may
658	658	not unnecessarily burden parents or education service
659	659	providers offering educational instruction goods and services.
660	660	(2) Value, enable, and support parental involvement.
661	661	(3) Encourage education service providers offering
662	662	educational instruction goods and services to provide parents
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692	692	and participating students with a broad array of educational
693	693	instruction options.
694	694	(4) Not subject nonpublic schools to additional
695	695	regulation or licensure.
696	696	(b) In addition to any other duty, obligation, or
697	697	authority provided in this act, the department shall do all of
698	698	the following:
699	699	(1) Execute contracts and other instruments for
700	700	necessary goods, services, and office space, employ necessary
701	701	personnel, and engage the services of private consultants,
702	702	auditors, counsel, managers, and other professionals or
703	703	organizations as needed for the implementation and
704	704	administration of the PRICE Program.
705	705	(2) Contract with financial organizations as account
706	706	depositories and managers.
707	707	(3) Not place PRICE Program funds in high risk,
708	708	long-term financial instruments. Any earned interest shall be
709	709	returned to the ESA of the participating student.
710	710	(4) Implement a commercially viable, cost-effective,
711	711	and parent friendly system for direct payments from and
712	712	refunds to ESAs for qualified expenses by electronic or online
713	713	funds transfer which assist in the administering of the PRICE
714	714	Program, automate reconciliation, and provide easy access to
715	715	data for audits while reducing the risk of fraud, waste, and
716	716	abuse. An ESA may not be reduced for electronic payment fees
717	717	or any other costs associated with the payment and refund
718	718	system.
719	719	(5) Adopt a registration application and process for
720	720	337
721	721	338
722	722	339
723	723	340
724	724	341
725	725	342
726	726	343
727	727	344
728	728	345
729	729	346
730	730	347
731	731	348
732	732	349
733	733	350
734	734	351
735	735	352
736	736	353
737	737	354
738	738	355
739	739	356
740	740	357
741	741	358
742	742	359
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749	749	approving participating students and education service
750	750	providers.
751	751	(6) Assist a participating student in the following
752	752	manner: If an education service provider requires partial
753	753	payment of tuition or fees before the start of the school year
754	754	to reserve space for a participating student, the partial
755	755	payment may be paid by the department before the start of the
756	756	school year in which the ESA is awarded and deducted from a
757	757	subsequent ESA deposit. If a parent decides not to use the
758	758	education service provider, the partial reservation payment
759	759	shall be returned to the department and credited to the ESA of
760	760	the participating student.
761	761	(7) Make periodic deposits, equaling the total ESA
762	762	amount, into the ESA of a participating student pursuant to
763	763	Section 4(c).
764	764	(8) Make information regarding the PRICE Program
765	765	readily available to the public on the website of the
766	766	department. Information on the website may include the ESA
767	767	application process, responsibilities of parents, qualifying
768	768	expenses for ESA funds, updated lists of education service
769	769	providers and their responsibilities, the registration
770	770	process, duties of the department or other organizations that
771	771	may assist in the administration of the PRICE Program, and
772	772	other pertinent information.
773	773	(9) Inform parents of eligible recipients of the
774	774	existence of the PRICE Program by January 1 of each year
775	775	through a variety of means. In addition, a summary of the
776	776	information provided online pursuant to subdivision (8) shall
777	777	365
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779	779	367
780	780	368
781	781	369
782	782	370
783	783	371
784	784	372
785	785	373
786	786	374
787	787	375
788	788	376
789	789	377
790	790	378
791	791	379
792	792	380
793	793	381
794	794	382
795	795	383
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806	806	be mailed by January 1, for the first three years after the
807	807	effective date of this act, and then mailed or emailed to all
808	808	parents of eligible recipients who are not parents of a
809	809	participating student in the PRICE Program, by January 1 of
810	810	each year thereafter.
811	811	(10) Provide a helpline and other means to answer
812	812	questions, at a minimum, during normal weekday business hours.
813	813	(11) Adopt procedures to provide the least disruptive
814	814	process for participating students to transfer between
815	815	participating schools and to leave the PRICE Program
816	816	including, but not limited to, all of the following:
817	817	a. When a participating student enrolls as a full-time
818	818	student in his or her assigned public school, payments into
819	819	the ESA of the participating student shall immediately cease.
820	820	However, for ESAs that have been open for at least one full
821	821	school year, the ESA shall remain open and active for the
822	822	parent to pay qualifying expenses to educate the student from
823	823	funds remaining in the ESA. When no funds remain in the ESA of
824	824	a student, or the student reaches 21 years of age, the
825	825	department shall close the ESA and return any remaining funds
826	826	to the PRICE ESA Fund.
827	827	b. If an eligible recipient decides to return to the
828	828	PRICE Program, payments into the existing ESA of the student
829	829	may resume if the ESA is still open and active. A new ESA may
830	830	be established if the ESA of the student was closed.
831	831	c. A participating student may transfer between
832	832	participating schools only between semesters, unless the
833	833	participating school undergoes a substantial change in
834	834	393
835	835	394
836	836	395
837	837	396
838	838	397
839	839	398
840	840	399
841	841	400
842	842	401
843	843	402
844	844	403
845	845	404
846	846	405
847	847	406
848	848	407
849	849	408
850	850	409
851	851	410
852	852	411
853	853	412
854	854	413
855	855	414
856	856	415
857	857	416
858	858	417
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863	863	operation or the family of the participating student
864	864	involuntarily suffers a substantial hardship, such as moving
865	865	to another part of the state. In the event of a hardship, the
866	866	parent may petition the department to transfer the
867	867	participating student to another participating school and
868	868	should request a prorated refund from the previous
869	869	participating school to be deposited back into the ESA of the
870	870	participating student.
871	871	(12) Require a surety bond for education service
872	872	providers receiving more than one hundred thousand dollars
873	873	($100,000) in ESA funds.
874	874	(13) Deposit funds into the ESA of a participating
875	875	student pursuant to this act until any of the following occur:
876	876	a. The department determines that the participating
877	877	student is no longer an eligible recipient.
878	878	b. The department determines that there was substantial
879	879	and intentional misuse of the funds in the ESA for purposes
880	880	other than those permitted by the PRICE Program.
881	881	c. The parent or participating student withdraws from
882	882	the PRICE Program.
883	883	d. The participating student enrolls full-time in his
884	884	or her assigned public school.
885	885	e. The participating student graduates from high school
886	886	or ages out of his or her assigned public school.
887	887	(c) Any information provided to the department by a
888	888	nonpublic school or a parent of a home-based student pursuant
889	889	to this act shall be voluntary, may not be published by the
890	890	department without the written permission of the parent or
891	891	421
892	892	422
893	893	423
894	894	424
895	895	425
896	896	426
897	897	427
898	898	428
899	899	429
900	900	430
901	901	431
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904	904	434
905	905	435
906	906	436
907	907	437
908	908	438
909	909	439
910	910	440
911	911	441
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913	913	443
914	914	444
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916	916	446
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920	920	chief administrative officer of the nonpublic school, and no
921	921	additional reporting requirements or regulations shall be
922	922	added by this act in violation of Sections 16-1-11.1 through
923	923	16-1-11.3, Code of Alabama 1975.
924	924	(d) If appropriate renewal of an ESA is made, the
925	925	department shall make the remaining ESA funds available to the
926	926	participating student for the payment of postsecondary
927	927	education expenses until the participating student becomes 21
928	928	years of age. In the event any of the circumstances in
929	929	subdivision (b)(13) occur, the department shall return unused
930	930	funds to the PRICE ESA Fund.
931	931	Section 8. (a) A parent shall apply to the department
932	932	to establish an ESA for an eligible recipient. The department
933	933	shall accept and approve applications year-round on a first
934	934	come first served basis, and shall establish procedures for
935	935	approving applications and providing notice of approval to
936	936	eligible recipients within 30 days after receipt of a
937	937	completed application.
938	938	(b) The department shall create a standard application
939	939	form for parents to submit to establish the eligibility of
940	940	their student for the PRICE Program and shall ensure that the
941	941	application and all pertinent information is publicly
942	942	available and may be submitted in writing or through other
943	943	means, including the Internet.
944	944	(c) An application for an ESA is confidential and not a
945	945	public record subject to release pursuant to the open records
946	946	law.
947	947	(d) The department shall approve an ESA application if
948	948	449
949	949	450
950	950	451
951	951	452
952	952	453
953	953	454
954	954	455
955	955	456
956	956	457
957	957	458
958	958	459
959	959	460
960	960	461
961	961	462
962	962	463
963	963	464
964	964	465
965	965	466
966	966	467
967	967	468
968	968	469
969	969	470
970	970	471
971	971	472
972	972	473
973	973	474
974	974	475
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976	976	Page 18
977	977	all of the following occur:
978	978	(1) The parent applies for an ESA in accordance with
979	979	the application procedures established by the department.
980	980	(2) The student on whose behalf the parent is applying
981	981	is an eligible recipient.
982	982	(3) The parent signs an agreement with the PRICE
983	983	Program committing to all of the following:
984	984	a. He or she has read and understands the information
985	985	on the public website of the department, or a written copy
986	986	regarding participation in the PRICE Program as provided in
987	987	subdivisions (b)(8) and (b)(9) of Section 7, and will comply
988	988	with the requirements of the PRICE Program.
989	989	b. He or she will provide a challenging education for
990	990	the eligible recipient that is appropriate for his or her age
991	991	and skill level.
992	992	c. He or she will only use the funds in the ESA for
993	993	qualifying expenses, will provide accompanying receipts, and
994	994	will ensure that all refunds received are credited to the ESA.
995	995	(e) The parent of a participating student shall submit
996	996	an annual renewal application in accordance with procedures
997	997	adopted by the department.
998	998	Section 9. (a) Parents of a participating student shall
999	999	agree to use the funds deposited in their student's ESA only
1000	1000	for the following qualifying expenses:
1001	1001	(1) Tuition, textbooks, and fees at education service
1002	1002	providers and online learning programs.
1003	1003	(2) Curriculum, textbooks, fees, and other
1004	1004	instructional and enrichment materials including, but not
1005	1005	477
1006	1006	478
1007	1007	479
1008	1008	480
1009	1009	481
1010	1010	482
1011	1011	483
1012	1012	484
1013	1013	485
1014	1014	486
1015	1015	487
1016	1016	488
1017	1017	489
1018	1018	490
1019	1019	491
1020	1020	492
1021	1021	493
1022	1022	494
1023	1023	495
1024	1024	496
1025	1025	497
1026	1026	498
1027	1027	499
1028	1028	500
1029	1029	501
1030	1030	502
1031	1031	503
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1034	1034	limited to, materials provided by vendors and associated
1035	1035	online instruction or materials required by either an
1036	1036	instructional program or education service provider.
1037	1037	(3) Services contracted for and provided by a public
1038	1038	school, district school, charter school, or magnet school
1039	1039	including, but not limited to, individual classes and
1040	1040	extracurricular activities and programs.
1041	1041	(4) Extracurricular educational activities including,
1042	1042	but not limited to, athletics, art, music, and literature.
1043	1043	(5) Tutoring services provided by an individual or
1044	1044	tutoring business. Tutoring services may not be paid to an
1045	1045	immediate family member of the participating student.
1046	1046	(6) Tuition, fees, textbooks, instructional materials,
1047	1047	and examination fees for vocational and GED courses at a
1048	1048	career-technical school or alternative education program.
1049	1049	(7) Tuition, fees, and textbooks for summer education
1050	1050	programs and specialized after school education programs,
1051	1051	excluding after school childcare.
1052	1052	(8) Educational services and therapies including, but
1053	1053	not limited to, occupational, behavioral, physical,
1054	1054	speech-language, and audiology therapies and braille
1055	1055	translation.
1056	1056	(9) Tuition, fees, and textbooks for postsecondary
1057	1057	education including, but not limited to, dual enrollment
1058	1058	programs, college-level examination programs (CLEP), and
1059	1059	postsecondary classes.
1060	1060	(10) Computer hardware and other technological devices
1061	1061	that are used primarily to help meet the educational needs of
1062	1062	505
1063	1063	506
1064	1064	507
1065	1065	508
1066	1066	509
1067	1067	510
1068	1068	511
1069	1069	512
1070	1070	513
1071	1071	514
1072	1072	515
1073	1073	516
1074	1074	517
1075	1075	518
1076	1076	519
1077	1077	520
1078	1078	521
1079	1079	522
1080	1080	523
1081	1081	524
1082	1082	525
1083	1083	526
1084	1084	527
1085	1085	528
1086	1086	529
1087	1087	530
1088	1088	531
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1090	1090	Page 20
1091	1091	a participating student.
1092	1092	(11) Educational software and applications.
1093	1093	(12) School uniforms.
1094	1094	(13) Tuition and fees for preparatory courses and for
1095	1095	nationally standardized assessments, advanced placement
1096	1096	examinations, and examinations related to college or
1097	1097	university admission.
1098	1098	(14) Fees for transportation paid to a fee-for-service
1099	1099	transportation provider for the student to travel to and from
1100	1100	an individual providing qualifying educational services or an
1101	1101	education service provider.
1102	1102	(15) Any other educational expense approved by the
1103	1103	department.
1104	1104	(b) If a parent of a participating student submits an
1105	1105	educational expense that is denied by the department, an
1106	1106	appeal may be made pursuant to Section 13.
1107	1107	(c) Receipt of scholarship funds pursuant to the
1108	1108	Alabama Accountability Act of 2013, Chapter 6D, Title 16, Code
1109	1109	of Alabama 1975, does not impact the receipt of ESA funds by
1110	1110	the parent of a participating student pursuant to this act. An
1111	1111	adjustment, if any, of the Alabama Accountability Act
1112	1112	scholarship funds awarded to a participating student may be
1113	1113	made at the discretion of the scholarship granting
1114	1114	organization under that act.
1115	1115	(d) ESA funds paid for goods and services shall not be
1116	1116	refunded, rebated, or shared with a parent or participating
1117	1117	student in any manner, but shall be credited directly to the
1118	1118	ESA of the student.
1119	1119	533
1120	1120	534
1121	1121	535
1122	1122	536
1123	1123	537
1124	1124	538
1125	1125	539
1126	1126	540
1127	1127	541
1128	1128	542
1129	1129	543
1130	1130	544
1131	1131	545
1132	1132	546
1133	1133	547
1134	1134	548
1135	1135	549
1136	1136	550
1137	1137	551
1138	1138	552
1139	1139	553
1140	1140	554
1141	1141	555
1142	1142	556
1143	1143	557
1144	1144	558
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1147	1147	Page 21
1148	1148	(e) Nothing in this act shall prohibit an education
1149	1149	service provider from requesting additional funds from a
1150	1150	parent to cover ordinary student costs related to attendance
1151	1151	at a participating school.
1152	1152	(f) A parent may make payments for the costs of
1153	1153	educational goods and services not covered by the funds in the
1154	1154	ESA of his or her student. However, personal deposits into an
1155	1155	ESA are not permitted.
1156	1156	(g) Funds deposited in the ESA of a participating
1157	1157	student do not constitute taxable income to the parent or
1158	1158	participating student.
1159	1159	Section 10. (a) An education service provider shall do
1160	1160	all of the following:
1161	1161	(1) Apply online to register for participation in the
1162	1162	PRICE Program.
1163	1163	(2) Agree not to refund, rebate, or share ESA funds
1164	1164	with a parent or a participating student in any manner, except
1165	1165	that funds may be remitted or refunded to an ESA in accordance
1166	1166	with procedures established by the department.
1167	1167	(3) Provide a parent of a participating student with a
1168	1168	receipt for all educational qualifying expenses.
1169	1169	(b) Participating nonpublic schools, except home-based
1170	1170	education programs, shall provide parents with information to
1171	1171	make informed decisions. The information shall be regularly
1172	1172	updated at least annually prior to the beginning of each
1173	1173	school year and shall be made available to parents on the
1174	1174	school website or in writing. The information shall include
1175	1175	all of the following:
1176	1176	561
1177	1177	562
1178	1178	563
1179	1179	564
1180	1180	565
1181	1181	566
1182	1182	567
1183	1183	568
1184	1184	569
1185	1185	570
1186	1186	571
1187	1187	572
1188	1188	573
1189	1189	574
1190	1190	575
1191	1191	576
1192	1192	577
1193	1193	578
1194	1194	579
1195	1195	580
1196	1196	581
1197	1197	582
1198	1198	583
1199	1199	584
1200	1200	585
1201	1201	586
1202	1202	587
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1204	1204	Page 22
1205	1205	(1) The mission statement, values, objectives,
1206	1206	instructional programs, and organizational affiliations of the
1207	1207	nonpublic school.
1208	1208	(2) A comprehensive list of curricula by class and
1209	1209	grade level.
1210	1210	(3) Any student testing requirements, including state
1211	1211	and national testing and mental health or personality surveys
1212	1212	or evaluations, by class and grade level.
1213	1213	(c) In addition to the information provided in
1214	1214	subsection (b), participating nonpublic schools may
1215	1215	voluntarily provide parents with additional information
1216	1216	including, but not limited to:
1217	1217	(1) Extracurricular activities including athletics,
1218	1218	fine arts, field trips, and clubs.
1219	1219	(2) Crisis management safety plans.
1220	1220	(3) Any other additional information the participating
1221	1221	nonpublic school decides to provide.
1222	1222	(d) The provision of information by a participating
1223	1223	nonpublic school to parents pursuant to subsection (b) or
1224	1224	subsection (c) is solely for the purpose of assisting parents
1225	1225	to choose the best education option for their children. This
1226	1226	does not create a mandate or regulation by the state that
1227	1227	would be in violation of Sections 16-1-16.11.1 through
1228	1228	16-11-11.3, Code of Alabama 1975.
1229	1229	(e) A participating nonpublic school may allow the
1230	1230	department, but is not required, to publish information
1231	1231	provided in this section on the PRICE Program portion of the
1232	1232	website of the department.
1233	1233	589
1234	1234	590
1235	1235	591
1236	1236	592
1237	1237	593
1238	1238	594
1239	1239	595
1240	1240	596
1241	1241	597
1242	1242	598
1243	1243	599
1244	1244	600
1245	1245	601
1246	1246	602
1247	1247	603
1248	1248	604
1249	1249	605
1250	1250	606
1251	1251	607
1252	1252	608
1253	1253	609
1254	1254	610
1255	1255	611
1256	1256	612
1257	1257	613
1258	1258	614
1259	1259	615
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1262	1262	Section 11. (a) This act shall not be construed to
1263	1263	interfere with or limit the teaching of religious instruction
1264	1264	by any education service provider, by regulating its creed,
1265	1265	practices, admissions policy, hiring policy, code of conduct
1266	1266	for employees or students, tuition, fees, curriculum, or
1267	1267	policies or practices of any description.
1268	1268	(b) All education service providers shall be given
1269	1269	maximum freedom to provide for the educational needs of
1270	1270	participating students without government control and
1271	1271	participation in the program or receipt of payments from an
1272	1272	ESA shall not limit the independence or autonomy of an
1273	1273	education service provider, make it an agent of the state or
1274	1274	federal government, or make its actions the actions of the
1275	1275	state or federal government.
1276	1276	(c) Nothing in this act shall be construed to expand
1277	1277	the regulatory authority of the state, its officers, or any
1278	1278	school district to impose any additional regulation of
1279	1279	education service providers.
1280	1280	(d) The receipt of ESA funds and participation in the
1281	1281	PRICE Program directly or indirectly by a parent or
1282	1282	participating student and by any education service provider
1283	1283	that is a nonpublic school offering educational instruction in
1284	1284	grades K-12 does not subject the school or individual to
1285	1285	licensure or regulation by the state or any political
1286	1286	subdivision of the state and does not modify or repeal other
1287	1287	sections of state law, including Sections 16-1-11.1 through
1288	1288	16-1-11.3, Code of Alabama 1975, or otherwise affect the
1289	1289	exemption of nonpublic schools from state regulation.
1290	1290	617
1291	1291	618
1292	1292	619
1293	1293	620
1294	1294	621
1295	1295	622
1296	1296	623
1297	1297	624
1298	1298	625
1299	1299	626
1300	1300	627
1301	1301	628
1302	1302	629
1303	1303	630
1304	1304	631
1305	1305	632
1306	1306	633
1307	1307	634
1308	1308	635
1309	1309	636
1310	1310	637
1311	1311	638
1312	1312	639
1313	1313	640
1314	1314	641
1315	1315	642
1316	1316	643
1317	1317	644 HB295 INTRODUCEDHB295 INTRODUCED
1318	1318	Page 24
1319	1319	(e) The receipt of ESA funds or participation pursuant
1320	1320	to this act does not change or remove the exemption and
1321	1321	definition of a church school as provided in Section 16-28-1,
1322	1322	Code of Alabama 1975.
1323	1323	Section 12. (a) A public school or school district that
1324	1324	previously enrolled a participating student shall provide any
1325	1325	education service provider that has enrolled a participating
1326	1326	student with a complete copy of the participating student's
1327	1327	school records, while complying with the Family Educational
1328	1328	Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, 20 U.S.C. § 1232.
1329	1329	(b) A public school or school district may refuse to
1330	1330	provide educational services to a participating student who
1331	1331	resides outside of the school district or may establish a
1332	1332	policy to provide educational service options to out of
1333	1333	district students under certain conditions including, but not
1334	1334	limited to, the payment of reasonable fees for attendance.
1335	1335	(c) A public school that becomes an educational service
1336	1336	provider shall be given maximum flexibility to accommodate
1337	1337	participating students and may create a process and establish
1338	1338	requirements for accepting, selecting, or limiting the number
1339	1339	of allowable participating students who are not assigned to
1340	1340	that public School.
1341	1341	Section 13. (a) The department shall adopt procedures
1342	1342	to ensure that fair processes exist to determine whether a
1343	1343	misuse of the PRICE Program has occurred.
1344	1344	(b) The department shall conduct or contract for the
1345	1345	auditing of individual ESAs and, at a minimum, shall conduct
1346	1346	random audits of ESAs on an annual basis. The department shall
1347	1347	645
1348	1348	646
1349	1349	647
1350	1350	648
1351	1351	649
1352	1352	650
1353	1353	651
1354	1354	652
1355	1355	653
1356	1356	654
1357	1357	655
1358	1358	656
1359	1359	657
1360	1360	658
1361	1361	659
1362	1362	660
1363	1363	661
1364	1364	662
1365	1365	663
1366	1366	664
1367	1367	665
1368	1368	666
1369	1369	667
1370	1370	668
1371	1371	669
1372	1372	670
1373	1373	671
1374	1374	672 HB295 INTRODUCEDHB295 INTRODUCED
1375	1375	Page 25
1376	1376	also conduct audits of individual ESAs where there is evidence
1377	1377	of misuse or other violation of this act.
1378	1378	(c) The department may make any parent or participating
1379	1379	student ineligible for the PRICE Program if there is evidence
1380	1380	of intentional and substantial misuse of ESA funds for
1381	1381	purposes other than permitted by the PRICE Program is
1382	1382	discovered. If a participating student is free from personal
1383	1383	misconduct, that student shall be eligible for an ESA in the
1384	1384	future if placed with a different parent to act on behalf of
1385	1385	the student.
1386	1386	(d) The department shall conduct or contract for audits
1387	1387	of education service providers or any other recipients of ESA
1388	1388	funds where there is evidence of intentional and substantial
1389	1389	misuse of ESA funds or other violations of this act.
1390	1390	(e) The department may bar an education service
1391	1391	provider or other recipient of ESA funds from accepting
1392	1392	payments from any ESA if the department determines that the
1393	1393	education service provider has done either of the following:
1394	1394	(1) Intentionally and substantially misrepresented
1395	1395	information, obtained ESA funds by fraud, or failed to refund
1396	1396	any over payments in a timely manner.
1397	1397	(2) Routinely failed to provide students with promised
1398	1398	educational goods or services.
1399	1399	(f) If the department bars an education service
1400	1400	provider or other recipient of ESA funds from receiving
1401	1401	payments from an ESA, the department shall timely notify each
1402	1402	affected parent and participating student of that decision.
1403	1403	(g) A parent, participating student, education service
1404	1404	673
1405	1405	674
1406	1406	675
1407	1407	676
1408	1408	677
1409	1409	678
1410	1410	679
1411	1411	680
1412	1412	681
1413	1413	682
1414	1414	683
1415	1415	684
1416	1416	685
1417	1417	686
1418	1418	687
1419	1419	688
1420	1420	689
1421	1421	690
1422	1422	691
1423	1423	692
1424	1424	693
1425	1425	694
1426	1426	695
1427	1427	696
1428	1428	697
1429	1429	698
1430	1430	699
1431	1431	700 HB295 INTRODUCEDHB295 INTRODUCED
1432	1432	Page 26
1433	1433	provider, and other recipient of ESA funds may ask the
1434	1434	department to reconsider its decision and appeal any final
1435	1435	decision of the department administratively.
1436	1436	(h) The department may refer suspected cases of
1437	1437	intentional and substantial misuse of ESA funds to the
1438	1438	Attorney General for the purpose of collection or criminal
1439	1439	investigation, or both, if evidence of fraudulent use of ESA
1440	1440	funds is discovered.
1441	1441	Section 14. Nothing in this act shall alter, amend, or
1442	1442	limit the application of the Alabama High School Athletic
1443	1443	Association constitution and bylaws to member schools.
1444	1444	Section 15. (a) A parent may bring suit for any
1445	1445	violation of this act and may raise this act as a claim or
1446	1446	defense in any judicial or administrative proceeding without
1447	1447	regard to whether the proceeding is brought by or in the name
1448	1448	of the state, a private individual, or any other party.
1449	1449	(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an
1450	1450	individual may bring a suit for an actual or threatened
1451	1451	violation of this act and relief may be granted in a judicial
1452	1452	proceeding without regard to whether the individual commencing
1453	1453	the action has sought or exhausted available administrative
1454	1454	remedies.
1455	1455	(c) A prevailing party may recover appropriate relief
1456	1456	including, but not limited to, declaratory or injunctive
1457	1457	relief, compensatory damages, and reasonable attorney fees.
1458	1458	(d) The Attorney General may bring an action to enforce
1459	1459	compliance with this act.
1460	1460	(e) Except as provided in Section 36-1-12, Code of
1461	1461	701
1462	1462	702
1463	1463	703
1464	1464	704
1465	1465	705
1466	1466	706
1467	1467	707
1468	1468	708
1469	1469	709
1470	1470	710
1471	1471	711
1472	1472	712
1473	1473	713
1474	1474	714
1475	1475	715
1476	1476	716
1477	1477	717
1478	1478	718
1479	1479	719
1480	1480	720
1481	1481	721
1482	1482	722
1483	1483	723
1484	1484	724
1485	1485	725
1486	1486	726
1487	1487	727
1488	1488	728 HB295 INTRODUCEDHB295 INTRODUCED
1489	1489	Page 27
1490	1490	Alabama 1975, no liability shall arise on the part of the
1491	1491	department, the state, any school district or public school,
1492	1492	or the board based on the deposit or use of an ESA pursuant to
1493	1493	this act.
1494	1494	(f) Sovereign, governmental, state-agent, qualified
1495	1495	immunities, or any immunities to suit from liability pursuant
1496	1496	to the Constitution of Alabama of 2022, are waived and
1497	1497	abolished to the extent of liability created by this act, and
1498	1498	parties alleged to be responsible for any violation may be
1499	1499	sued in their official capacities.
1500	1500	(g) If any part of this act is challenged in a state
1501	1501	court as violating either the state or federal constitutions,
1502	1502	parents of eligible recipients and participating students
1503	1503	shall be permitted to intervene as of right in the lawsuit for
1504	1504	the purposes of defending the constitutionality of the PRICE
1505	1505	Program.
1506	1506	Section 16. The provisions of this act are severable.
1507	1507	If any part of this act is declared invalid or
1508	1508	unconstitutional, that declaration shall not affect the part
1509	1509	which remains.
1510	1510	Section 17. This act shall become effective immediately
1511	1511	following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its
1512	1512	otherwise becoming law.
1513	1513	729
1514	1514	730
1515	1515	731
1516	1516	732
1517	1517	733
1518	1518	734
1519	1519	735
1520	1520	736
1521	1521	737
1522	1522	738
1523	1523	739
1524	1524	740
1525	1525	741
1526	1526	742
1527	1527	743
1528	1528	744
1529	1529	745
1530	1530	746
1531	1531	747
1532	1532	748
1533	1533	749
1534	1534	750
1535	1535	751