Page 7, after line 32, insert:
"Sec. 4. Empowerment scholarship account special education study
committee; membership; powers and duties; report; definition; delayed repeal
A. The empowerment scholarship account special
education study committee is established consisting of the following members:
1. Two members of the house of representatives who
are appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and who are
members of different political parties.
2. Two members of the senate who are appointed by
the president of the senate and who are members of different political
parties.
3. Two members who currently work as special
education teachers, one of whom is from a county with a population of at least
one million two hundred thousand persons and who is appointed by the speaker of
the house of representatives and one of whom is from a county with a population
of less than one million two hundred thousand persons and who is appointed by
the president of the senate.
4. Two public school psychologists, one of whom is
from a county with a population of at least one million two hundred thousand
persons and who is appointed by the president of the senate and one of whom is
from a county with a population of less than one million two hundred thousand
persons and who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
5. Two parents of current empowerment scholarship
account recipients.
6. The superintendent of public instruction or the
superintendent's designee.
B. The president of the senate and the speaker of
the house of representatives shall each designate one of the legislative
members to serve as a cochairperson of the committee. The cochairpersons shall
be members of different political parties.
C. The commission shall:
1. Identify, examine and evaluate the needs of
qualified students who receive an empowerment scholarship account.
2. Review the funding levels, process, duration and
execution of and the authority by which qualified students receive special
education services through the empowerment scholarship account program pursuant
to section 15‑2402, Arizona Revised Statutes.
3. Research and evaluate the differences between
receiving special education services through a public or charter school and the
empowerment scholarship account program.
4. Provide analyses and recommendations to improve
delivery of special education services to qualified students.
5. Examine whether a child with special needs who
receives an empowerment scholarship account monies should be allowed to
continue to receive monies allocated pursuant to title 15, chapter 19, Arizona
Revised Statutes, until the child reaches twenty-two years of age if the
child's individualized education program team determines that the child is
likely to graduate from high school by the time the child reaches twenty-two
years of age.
D. The empowerment scholarship account special
education study committee may:
1. Request information, data and reports from any county
or state agency or political subdivision of this state. If possible,
information shall be provided electronically.
2. Hold hearings and take testimony from
stakeholders who may assist the committee in fulfilling its responsibilities.
E. On the request of the empowerment scholarship
account special education study committee, an agency of this state shall
provide to the committee its services, equipment, documents, personnel and
facilities to the extent possible without cost to the committee.
F. The legislature and the department of education
shall provide staff and support services to the study committee.
G. All meetings of the study committee shall be open
to the public.
H. Members of the study committee are not eligible
to receive compensation but are eligible for reimbursement of expenses pursuant
to title 38, chapter 4, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes.
I. On or before December 31, 2015, the study
committee shall submit a report regarding its findings and recommendations to
the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the
senate and the superintendent of public instruction and shall provide a copy of
the report to the secretary of state.
J. For the purpose of this section, "qualified
student" means a student who received a scholarship pursuant to section
15-2401, paragraph 6, subdivision (a), item (i), (ii) or (iii), Arizona Revised
Statutes.
K. This section is repealed from and after September
30, 2016."
Amend title to conform
Bill
Number: H.B. 2250