The bill under consideration mandates that the state board of education conduct an annual review of education freedom account service providers to ensure their ongoing adherence to all state and federal anti-discrimination laws. It introduces a new paragraph to RSA 194-F:6, requiring education service providers to develop and implement policies akin to those required of school districts and chartered public schools as outlined under RSA 193:39. The bill specifies that these policies must be in line with anti-discrimination laws and that the state board of education is responsible for the yearly compliance check.
The fiscal note attached to the bill indicates that there is no immediate state revenue or expenditure impact, but the expenditures in the future are indeterminable. The Department of Education has not provided a cost estimate for the state to review the education service providers' compliance with the bill. As of December 4, 2023, there are 1,301 approved education service providers, with new providers continuously being added. The bill is set to take effect 60 days after its passage. The fiscal note also clarifies that the bill does not provide funding to cover the estimated expenditures nor does it authorize new positions for its implementation.
Statutes affected: Introduced: 194-F:6