Revision: March 16, 2023, 5:13 p.m.
Rep. Luneau, Merr. 9
March 6, 2023
2023-0774h
06/10
Amendment to HB 573-FN-A-LOCAL
Amend the bill by replacing all after the enacting clause with the following:
1 Education Freedom Accounts Program; Funding. Amend RSA 194-F:11 to read as follows:
194-F:11 Appropriation [From Education Trust Fund]; Funding. The [amount necessary] amounts to fund [any] grants or transfers of funds authorized under this chapter [is hereby appropriated to the department from the education trust fund created under RSA 198:39. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant from the education trust fund to satisfy the state's obligation under this section. Such warrant for payment shall be issued regardless of the balance of funds available in the education trust fund. If the balance in the education trust fund, after the issuance of any such warrant, is less than zero, the comptroller shall transfer sufficient funds from the general fund to eliminate such deficit. The commissioner of the department of administrative services shall inform the fiscal committee and the governor and council of such balance. This reporting shall not in any way prohibit or delay the distribution of any grant or transfer of funds authorized under this chapter] shall be made from general funds appropriated in the biennial state operating budget for such purposes. Payments under this chapter shall not exceed the amounts appropriated for such purposes in the biennial state operating budget.
2 Education Freedom Accounts; Program. Amend RSA 194-F:2, VII to read as follows:
VII. An EFA shall remain in force, and any unused funds shall roll over from quarter-to-quarter and from year-to-year until the parent withdraws the EFA student from the EFA program or until the EFA student graduates from high school, unless the EFA is closed because of a substantial misuse of funds. Any unused funds shall revert to the [education trust fund established in RSA 198:39 and be allocated to fund other EFAs] general fund.
3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect July 1, 2023.
2023-0774h
AMENDED ANALYSIS
This bill requires that funding of the education freedom account program be limited to budgeted amounts.