ENROLLED
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ACT No. 424
Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE BILL NO. 780
BY REPRESENTATIVE TALBOT
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 47:6301(B)(1)(c)(iv) and (viii) and (3), and (C)(1)(e) and to2
enact R.S. 47:6301(C)(1)(g), relative to the rebate for donations to school tuition3
organizations; to provide with respect to requirements of certain school tuition4
organizations; to provide with respect to the definition of a "qualified student" for5
purposes of the rebate; to provide with respect to the requirements of the Department6
of Education; to require certain annual audits; to require certain public reports; and7
to provide for related matters.8
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:9
Section 1. R.S. 47:6301(B)(1)(c)(iv) and (viii) and (3), and (C)(1)(e) are hereby10
amended and reenacted and R.S. 47:6301(C)(1)(g) is hereby enacted to read as follows: 11
ยง6301. Rebates; donations to school tuition organizations12
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B.(1)14
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(c) A school tuition organization which provides scholarships to qualified16
students shall do all of the following:17
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(iv) Provide scholarships to qualified students on a first-come, first-served19
basis, with priority given to students who received a scholarship from the school20
tuition organization or the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program21
in the previous year.22
* * *23 ENROLLEDHB NO. 780
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(viii) Ensure that scholarships granted to qualified students are portable1
during the school year and can be used at any qualifying school served by the school2
tuition organization that accepts a qualified student. If the parent of a qualified3
student who is receiving a scholarship desires the student to move to a new qualified4
school served by the school tuition organization during a school year, the scholarship5
amount may be prorated.6
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(3)(a) For purposes of this Section, a "qualified student" shall mean a child8
who is a member of a family that resides in Louisiana with a total household income9
that does not exceed an amount equal to two hundred fifty percent of the federal10
poverty level based on the federal poverty guidelines established by the federal office11
of management and budget. A qualified student shall also be and who meets any of12
the following:13
(i) Is a student who is entering kindergarten for the first time,.14
(ii) Is a student who attended a public school the previous year ,.15
(iii) Is or a student who received a scholarship from a school tuition16
organization or the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program for the17
previous school year.18
(b) Any qualified student receiving a scholarship from a school tuition19
organization pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall be prohibited from20
receiving any other publicly funded scholarship, voucher, or other form of financial21
assistance specific to that student for purposes of attending a nonpublic school;22
however, a qualified student may receive scholarships from multiple school tuition23
organizations not to exceed the lesser of eighty percent of the state average24
Minimum Foundation Program per pupil funding amount for the previous year in the25
case of a qualified student enrolled in kindergarten through eighth grade, or ninety26
percent of the state average Minimum Foundation Program per pupil funding amount27 ENROLLEDHB NO. 780
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for the previous year in the case of a qualified student enrolled in ninth through1
twelfth grade.2
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C.(1)4
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(e) The Department of Education may shall annually conduct either a6
financial review or an audit of a school tuition organization as deemed necessary by7
the department. The Department of Education shall bar a school tuition organization8
from participating in the rebate authorized under this Section if the school tuition9
organization intentionally and substantially fails to comply with the requirements of10
this Section.11
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(g) The Department of Education shall publicly report state test scores for13
each student receiving a scholarship pursuant to the provisions of this Section in14
accordance with the requirements of the federal Family Educational Rights and15
Privacy Act (20 U.S.C. 1232(g) and federal regulations 34 C.F.R 99.1 et seq.).16
However, the Department of Education shall not include the name or any other17
identifying information of individual students.18
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SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATI VES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED: