This bill proposes updates to current statutes regarding Arizona empowerment scholarship accounts by introducing new requirements for qualified schools. Specifically, schools accepting payments from parents or qualified students must ensure that all personnel possess valid fingerprint clearance cards or apply for one within twenty days of employment. Additionally, the bill mandates that personnel providing academic instruction meet specific educational or experience qualifications and requires annual audits by the auditor general to ensure compliance, with penalties for noncompliance including reimbursement of scholarship funds.

Furthermore, the bill modifies existing language related to fingerprinting requirements, clarifying that individuals with verified fingerprints on file do not need to resubmit them for renewal unless required by the Department of Public Safety. It expands the definition of "qualified school," includes provisions for sharing fingerprint clearance card status among educational institutions, and updates section identifiers across various statutes. The bill also allows expired fingerprint clearance cards to satisfy requirements under certain conditions and mandates compliance with new fingerprint clearance card requirements for current school personnel within six months of the act's effective date.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-106, 15-2402, 15-2403, 15-2407, 23-1361, 41-619.51, 41-1750, 41-1758, 41-1758.01, 41-1758.08, 15-183, 15-512, 15-766, 15-2401, 15-505, 15-534.04, 28-9551, 15-802, 15-185, 15-943, 35-190, 2020-2021, 35-113, 15-2401.01, 15-2404, 15-161, 41-619.57, 8-804, 41-619.55, 3-314, 8-105, 8-322, 8-463, 8-509, 8-802, 15-503, 15-534, 15-763.01, 15-782.02, 15-1330, 15-1881, 17-215, 28-3228, 28-3413, 32-122.02, 32-122.05, 32-122.06, 32-823, 32-1232, 32-1276.01, 32-1284, 32-1297.01, 32-1904, 32-1941, 32-1982, 32-2022, 32-2063, 32-2108.01, 32-2123, 32-2371, 32-3430, 32-3620, 32-3668, 32-3669, 32-3922, 32-3924, 32-4222, 32-4128, 36-113, 36-207, 36-411, 36-425.03, 36-446.04, 36-594.01, 36-594.02, 36-766.01, 36-882, 36-883.02, 36-897.01, 36-897.03, 36-3008, 41-619.53, 41-1964, 41-1967.01, 41-1968, 41-1969, 41-2814, 41-4025, 46-141, 46-321, 13-3601, 32-2422, 32-2441, 32-2612, 32-2622, 41-1758.03, 41-1758.07, 41-2411, 14-5303, 14-5407, 14-5206, 14-5304, 14-5401, 14-5651, 13-3827, 15-550, 8-453, 99-169, 13-3825, 8-341, 41-619.52, 13-3623, 35-146, 35-147, 41-1758.04, 92-544