Senate Bill No. 27, introduced by Senator Talbot, amends existing laws regarding the tax credit for donations to school tuition organizations (STOs) that provide scholarships to qualified students. The bill modifies the maximum scholarship limits, allowing for a scholarship amount that does not exceed actual tuition and mandatory fees at the qualified school or one hundred percent of the state and local average Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) per pupil funding amount for the previous year, applicable to students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. Additionally, the bill changes the distribution of scholarship payments from a schedule of August, November, February, and May to a quarterly basis, and allows parents to electronically endorse checks for deposit into the school’s account.

Furthermore, the bill repeals the prohibition on qualified students receiving other publicly funded scholarships or financial assistance while also receiving a scholarship from an STO. It also updates testing requirements for qualified schools, allowing them to administer either state-required examinations or nationally norm-referenced tests approved by the state board. The Department of Education is tasked with verifying that scholarships do not exceed the new limits set forth in the bill. Overall, the proposed changes aim to enhance the flexibility and accessibility of financial assistance for students attending nonpublic schools.

Statutes affected:
SB27 Original: 47:6301(B)(1)