HB 1561-FN - AS INTRODUCED
2024 SESSION
24-2010
02/08
HOUSE BILL 1561-FN
AN ACT relative to qualifications for student eligibility in the education freedom accounts program.
SPONSORS: Rep. Sweeney, Rock. 25; Rep. Osborne, Rock. 2; Rep. Alexander Jr., Hills. 29
COMMITTEE: Education
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ANALYSIS
This bill expands the definition of who is an eligible student qualifying under the education freedom accounts program.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
24-2010
02/08
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Twenty Four
AN ACT relative to qualifications for student eligibility in the education freedom accounts program.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1 Education Freedom Account Program; Definitions; Eligible Students. RSA 194-F:1, VI is repealed and reenacted to read as follows:
VI. “Eligible student” means a resident of this state who is eligible to enroll in a public elementary or secondary school and meets one or more of the following conditions:
(a) Whose annual household income at the time the student applies for the program is less than or equal to 350 percent of the federal poverty guidelines as updated annually in the Federal Register by the United States Department of Health and Human Services under 42 U.S.C. section 9902(2). No income threshold need be met in subsequent years, provided the student otherwise qualifies. Students in the special school district within the department of corrections established in RSA 194:60 shall not be eligible students.
(b) Who is concerned that attending school could lead to the spread of contagious diseases such as COVID-19, the common cold, the seasonal Flu, pneumonia, or other similar diseases.
(c) Who is a persistently bullied student. “Persistently bullied student” means a pupil that has been a victim of 3 or more bullying incidences as defined by RSA 193-F:3.
(d) Who identifies as lesbian, bisexual, gay, transgender, or non-binary.
(e) Who have tested in the bottom 25th percentile in state standardized testing during the most recent academic year.
(f) Who have been diagnosed with an eating disorder by a licensed healthcare provider.
(g) Who have been diagnosed with a mental health illness by a licensed healthcare provider.
(h) Who lives in a district which exceeds PFAS drinking water standards, as established by the department of environmental services.
(i) Who is a student who lives within the geographic boundaries of a school which has been identified by the department of education as scoring within the bottom 10th percentile in standardized testing.
(j) Whose current district guidance counselor determines it is in the best interest of the student.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
24-2010
Revised 12/21/23
HB 1561-FN- FISCAL NOTE
AS INTRODUCED
AN ACT relative to qualifications for student eligibility in the education freedom accounts program.
FISCAL IMPACT: [ X ] State [ ] County [ X ] Local [ ] None
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Estimated State Impact - Increase / (Decrease) | ||||||
| FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | ||
Revenue | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Revenue Fund(s) | None | |||||
Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable | ||||
Funding Source(s) | Education Trust Fund | |||||
Appropriations | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | ||
Funding Source(s) | None | |||||
• Does this bill provide sufficient funding to cover estimated expenditures? [X] N/A • Does this bill authorize new positions to implement this bill? [X] N/A | ||||||
| ||||||
Estimated Political Subdivision Impact - Increase / (Decrease) | ||||||
| FY 2024 | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | FY 2027 | ||
Local Revenue | $0 | Indeterminable | ||||
Local Expenditures | $0 | Indeterminable | ||||
METHODOLOGY:
This bill expands eligibility for the education freedom account (EFA) program by adding several new qualifying conditions. As of November 2023, 4,552 students were in the EFA program with an annualized cost estimated at $23.8 million with the typically grant averaging to be $5,235 per student. The current average education grant to public district schools is $6,217, which includes cost for an adequate education and extraordinary needs grant.
The Department of Education states this bill will result in an indeterminable number of new students accessing the program. The following is information relative to the different situations in which a student may access the EFA program:
As students potentially leave traditional district schools and join the EFA program, districts may feel pressure to reduce their local expenditures to better fit the reduced population served. It is unknown the impact this would have on local expenditures, but this could potentially result in an indeterminable decrease.
AGENCIES CONTACTED:
Department of Education
| Date | Body | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Jan. 17, 2024 | House | Hearing |
| Jan. 30, 2024 | House | Exec Session |
| Jan. 31, 2024 | House | Exec Session |
| Jan. 30, 2024 | House | Floor Vote |
Feb. 8, 2024: Reconsider (Rep. Weber): MF RC 189-192 02/08/2024 HJ 4 P. 21
Feb. 8, 2024: Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 02/08/2024 HJ 4 P. 21
Feb. 8, 2024: Ought to Pass: MF RC 185-197 02/08/2024 HJ 4 P. 19
Feb. 1, 2024: Committee Report: Without Recommendation 01/30/2024 (Vote 10-10; RC)
Jan. 25, 2024: ==CONTINUED== Executive Session: 01/31/2024 10:00 am LOB 205-207
Jan. 25, 2024: ==RECESSED== Executive Session: 01/30/2024 10:00 am LOB 205-207
Jan. 5, 2024: Public Hearing: 01/17/2024 01:45 pm LOB 205-207
Dec. 15, 2023: Introduced 01/03/2024 and referred to Education HJ 1 P. 24