Senate Bill 496 aims to amend the eligibility requirements for participation in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, Racine Parental Choice Program, and Wisconsin Parental Choice Program by tightening the verification process for family income. The bill repeals provisions that previously allowed students to continue participating in these programs even if their family income increased beyond the established limits. Specifically, it removes the ability for pupils to remain in the program if their family income exceeds 300% of the federal poverty level for Milwaukee and Racine programs, or 220% for the Wisconsin program.

Additionally, the bill mandates that family income must be verified annually through the Department of Revenue, regardless of whether the pupil attended a private school under a parental choice program in the previous year. This change ensures that all participating families are subject to the same income verification process, thereby enhancing the integrity of the parental choice programs. The new legal language reflects these changes by amending existing statutes and repealing outdated provisions that allowed for exceptions in income verification and continued participation despite income increases.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 118.60(2)(a)1.a, 118.60, 118.60(2)(bm), 119.23(2)(a)1.a, 119.23, 119.23(2)(a)1.d