The bill amends the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program by changing the eligibility criteria for students seeking scholarships to attend private schools. Notably, it removes the requirement for prior public school enrollment and deletes the provision that stated acceptance of the scholarship would equate to a parental revocation of consent to services. The updated language now allows students with special needs to qualify for scholarships regardless of their previous school attendance, and it replaces references to "disabilities" with "special needs." Additionally, the bill outlines the responsibilities of parents or guardians in the application process and ensures that the scholarship remains effective until the student enrolls in a public school, graduates, or reaches the age of twenty-two.

The bill also establishes procedures for the State Board of Education, requiring it to hold a hearing within sixty days of a formal request and issue an order within thirty days after the hearing. It allows the Board to suspend scholarship payments if there is probable cause of an imminent threat to student welfare or fraudulent activity by a private school. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that including private schools in the program does not expand the regulatory authority of the state or school districts beyond necessary enforcement of the program's requirements. The State Department of Education is granted the authority to reduce state aid to non-compliant school districts and is required to publish an annual report on scholarship awards and demographic data. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, with an emergency clause for immediate implementation upon passage and approval.