SENATE BILL 1161
RS30631 / S1161
This bill expands the Empowering Parents Program to add transportation to and from school as an allowable expense for the micro-grants ($1,000/student; $3,000 maximum per family). This bill also creates a pilot program for five years for up to 2,000 students per year to provide a tuition grant of $6,000 per student. This tuition grant can be used for both traditional tuition or for the hiring of a certified teacher for a micro-school. The distribution of the tuition grant will be prioritized based on the lowest income applicants receiving the highest priority. The tuition grant pilot program sunsets in five years. The new tuition grants and the existing micro-grants will continue to be distributed via a digital platform. This bill also increases the transparency and accountability of the program. This legislation moves the operation of the Empowering Parents Grant Program from the State Board of Education to the State Department of Education.
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 03/10 | Introduced; read first time; referred to JR for Printing |
| 03/13 | Reported Printed; referred to Education |
| 03/15 | Reported out of Committee with Do Pass Recommendation; Filed for second reading |
| 03/16 | Read second time; filed for Third Reading |
| Rules Suspended (2/3 Vote - Read in full as required) – PASSED - 19-15-1 AYES – Anthon, Bernt, Bjerke, Carlson, Den Hartog, Foreman, Grow, Harris, Herndon, Lakey, Lenney, Nichols, Okuniewicz, Ricks, Toews, Trakel, VanOrden, Winder, Zuiderveld NAYS – Adams, Burtenshaw, Cook, Guthrie, Hartgen, Just, Lee, Lent, Rabe, Ruchti, Schroeder, Semmelroth, Taylor, Ward-Engelking, Wintrow Absent and excused – Hart Floor Sponsor - Den Hartog Title apvd - to House |
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| 03/17 | Received from the Senate, Filed for First Reading |
| Read First Time, Held at Desk | |
| 03/20 | Bill Previously Held at Desk, Referred to Education |