This bill amends the eligibility criteria for education freedom accounts (EFAs) by eliminating household income thresholds, thereby increasing the number of students who can access these accounts. Specifically, it removes the requirement that a student's annual household income must be less than or equal to 350 percent of the federal poverty guidelines at the time of application. Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions that establish a cap on total enrollment for the EFA program at 10,000 students, with the possibility of increasing this cap by 25 percent if applications reach 90 percent of the cap in any given fiscal year. The bill also prioritizes applications based on specific criteria, such as current EFA enrollment and family income levels, and mandates the scholarship organization to set and publicize application deadlines.

Furthermore, the bill includes provisions that remove certain conditions tied to the use of EFA funds and establishes a new paragraph outlining the responsibilities of the scholarship organization. The changes aim to streamline the application process and ensure that students who meet priority guidelines are given preference when applications exceed the enrollment cap. The bill is expected to have an indeterminable fiscal impact, as it may lead to an increase in the number of students accessing the EFA program, which could affect state expenditures and local school district funding dynamics.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 194-F:1
As Amended by the Senate: 194-F:1, 194-F:3, 194-F:4