The proposed bill introduces a series of measures to review the Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program. It mandates the joint legislative audit committee to direct appropriate legislative committees to conduct a program review at least seventeen months before the program's scheduled termination date. The review will assess the need for the program, its performance, impact, and whether it has achieved its original objectives. A draft report of this review must be completed eleven months before the program's termination date, with the department given an opportunity to respond to the draft before it is finalized.

Additionally, the bill requires the auditor general to perform a program performance audit, examining the program's management efficiency, effectiveness, and whether it meets legislative objectives. The findings must be submitted before October 1 of the year preceding the program's termination date. Following the audit, public hearings will be held to gather testimony, and legislative committees will consider the information from both the review report and the audit to decide whether to continue or terminate the program. The program is set to terminate on July 1, 2032, unless legislation is passed to continue it, and this chapter will be repealed on December 31, 2032.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-2407, 15-2408