The bill amends Section 20-7-1709 of the Montana Code Annotated to allow school districts the option to have the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) pay the remittance amount for the first year of a student's participation in the Montana Special Needs Equal Opportunity Education Savings Account program. This change is intended to streamline the funding process for participating students. Specifically, if a school district opts for this provision, the OPI will use funds from the BASE aid appropriation and will account for these funds accordingly. Additionally, when a student ceases participation in the program, the OPI will reduce the school district's BASE aid payment by the amount previously provided, adjusted for inflation.

The bill also outlines the requirements for the remitted funds, stating that they must come from the district's general fund and cannot include revenue from the guarantee account. It specifies how the remitted money will be allocated, with 95% going to the special needs equal opportunity education savings trust for reimbursing parents for educational resources, and 5% to the OPI's administration account for program costs. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 20-7-1709
SB0486_1(1): 20-7-1709
SB0486_1(10): 20-7-1709
SB0486_1(2): 20-7-1709
SB0486_1(3): 20-7-1709
SB0486_1(4): 20-7-1709
SB0486_1(5): 20-7-1709
SB0486_1(6): 20-7-1709
SB0486_1(7): 20-7-1709
SB0486_1(8): 20-7-1709
SB0486_1(9): 20-7-1709
SB0486_1: 20-7-1709
SB0486_X(1): 20-7-1709
SB0486_X(10): 20-7-1709
SB0486_X(11): 20-7-1709
SB0486_X(12): 20-7-1709
SB0486_X(2): 20-7-1709
SB0486_X(3): 20-7-1709
SB0486_X(4): 20-7-1709
SB0486_X(5): 20-7-1709
SB0486_X(6): 20-7-1709
SB0486_X(7): 20-7-1709
SB0486_X(8): 20-7-1709
SB0486_X(9): 20-7-1709
SB0486_X: 20-7-1709