Bill > HB4132

This bill modifies the Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) program by expanding eligibility and adjusting expenditure rules. Specifically, it removes the 2022-2023 school year start date for new eligibility, allowing more students to qualify if they attended a public school for the majority of the preceding year and are transferring to an ESA, or if their family's annual income is below a certain threshold (defined as "high annual income" and adjusted for inflation starting in fiscal year 2027-2028). The bill also requires parents to use a majority of ESA funds for core subjects like reading, grammar, math, social studies, and science, and introduces new restrictions on certain expenditures, such as luxury goods, non-educational items, and services provided by family members. Additionally, it clarifies that unexpended ESA funds for students with disabilities will be transferred to the classroom site fund on September 30th, while funds for all other students will be transferred on June 30th. The bill also adjusts the timeframe for closing an ESA if a parent fails to renew, reducing it from three academic years to one academic year, and mandates that parents submit records of all ESA expenditures for review.

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/85665