Bill Text: AZ HB2457 | 2017 | Fifty-third Legislature 1st Regular | Engrossed
Bill Title: Rural STEM program; tax credits
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-05-11 - Chapter 302 [HB2457 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2017-HB2457-Engrossed.html
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House Engrossed |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-third Legislature First Regular Session 2017
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HOUSE BILL 2457 |
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AN ACT
Amending title 15, chapter 2, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-249.07; relating to rural stem program.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 15, chapter 2, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-249.07, to read:
15-249.07. Rural STEM program fund; definitions
A. The rural STEM program fund is established consisting of appropriations. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated for the purposes of this section. Monies in the fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. The department of education shall administer the fund and may use not more than five percent of the monies deposited in the fund in a fiscal year for administrative purposes under this section. On notice from the department, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the fund. Monies in the fund are subject to state auditing procedures.
B. The department of education shall establish a process that is consistent with the requirements of this section for distributing, accounting for and otherwise administering the use of the monies in the rural stem program fund. In February and August of each year, the department shall distribute monies from the fund to rural school districts for stem programs. A school district that receives funding for a stem program must demonstrate that, at a minimum, the school district's stem program meets the academic standards for science, technology, engineering and mathematics as adopted by the state board of education and any policies adopted by the school district governing board for science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs.
C. On or before January 31 and July 31 of each year, school districts that receive monies from the rural STEM program fund shall provide updates on the outcomes achieved with these monies to the county school superintendent, to the department of education and to the legislature.
D. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Rural" means either of the following:
(a) A county with a population of less than four hundred thousand persons.
(b) A census county division with less than fifty thousand persons in a county with a population of at least four hundred thousand persons.
2. "rural school district" means a school district with at least one school that has a student count of three hundred or less and that is located in a county with a population of three hundred thousand persons or less.
