Bill Text: IA HF2324 | 2011-2012 | 84th General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: A bill for an act providing education savings grants for certain pupils attending an accredited nonpublic school or receiving competent private instruction, establishing an education savings grant fund, making appropriations, providing penalties, and including applicability provisions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-22 - Subcommittee, Chambers, Jorgensen, and Steckman. H.J. 319. [HF2324 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2011-HF2324-Introduced.html
House File 2324 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2324 BY LUKAN A BILL FOR An Act providing education savings grants for certain pupils 1 attending an accredited nonpublic school or receiving 2 competent private instruction, establishing an education 3 savings grant fund, making appropriations, providing 4 penalties, and including applicability provisions. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 5925YH (3) 84 md/sc
H.F. 2324 Section 1. Section 12D.3, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 1 2011, is amended to read as follows: 2 a. Each participation agreement may require a participant 3 to agree to invest a specific amount of money in the trust 4 for a specific period of time for the benefit of a specific 5 beneficiary. A participant shall not be required to make an 6 annual contribution on behalf of a beneficiary. The maximum 7 contribution that may be deducted for Iowa income tax purposes 8 shall not exceed two thousand dollars per beneficiary per year 9 adjusted annually to reflect increases in the consumer price 10 index. A contribution to an account that is the result of a 11 transfer from an account in the education savings grant fund 12 under section 257.11B shall not be considered a contribution 13 that may be deducted for Iowa income tax purposes. The 14 treasurer of state shall set an account balance limit to 15 maintain compliance with section 529 of the Internal Revenue 16 Code. A contribution shall not be permitted to the extent it 17 causes the aggregate balance of all accounts established for 18 the same beneficiary to exceed the applicable account balance 19 limit. 20 Sec. 2. Section 256.7, Code Supplement 2011, is amended by 21 adding the following new subsection: 22 NEW SUBSECTION . 31. Adopt rules relating to applications 23 for an education savings grant pursuant to section 257.11B, 24 including application processing timelines and information 25 required to be submitted by a parent or guardian. 26 Sec. 3. Section 257.6, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 2011, 27 is amended by adding the following new subparagraph: 28 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH . (8) Resident pupils receiving an 29 education savings grant pursuant to section 257.11B and not 30 included in the actual enrollment under another provision of 31 this paragraph. 32 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION . 257.11B Education savings grant 33 program. 34 1. Pupils eligible to enroll in grades kindergarten 35 -1- LSB 5925YH (3) 84 md/sc 1/ 9
H.F. 2324 through twelve and attending an accredited nonpublic school 1 or receiving competent private instruction under chapter 299A 2 shall be eligible to receive an education savings grant in the 3 manner provided in this section for school years beginning 4 on or after July 1, 2013. Education savings grants shall be 5 available for disbursement to parents and guardians for the 6 payment of qualified education expenses as provided in this 7 section. 8 2. a. (1) By January 31 preceding the school year for 9 which the education savings grant is requested, the parent 10 or guardian of the pupil requesting to receive an education 11 savings grant shall submit an application to the department of 12 education, on application forms developed by the department, 13 indicating that the parent or guardian intends to enroll the 14 pupil in an accredited nonpublic school or provide competent 15 private instruction for the pupil under chapter 299A. 16 (2) In addition to such information deemed appropriate by 17 the department of education, the application shall require the 18 following information: 19 (a) Certification from the accredited nonpublic school 20 of the pupil’s enrollment for the following school year or a 21 statement indicating the parent or guardian’s intent to provide 22 or arrange for competent private instruction for the pupil for 23 the following school year. 24 (b) Certification from the parent or guardian of the pupil 25 that an account has been established in the pupil’s name in the 26 Iowa education savings plan trust pursuant to chapter 12D. 27 b. By March 1 preceding the school year for which the 28 education savings grant is requested, the department of 29 education shall notify the department of management of the 30 number of pupils in each school district designated for the 31 following school year to receive an education savings grant 32 and the amount of the education savings grant for each pupil. 33 The department of education shall also notify the parent 34 or guardian of such pupils who are approved to receive an 35 -2- LSB 5925YH (3) 84 md/sc 2/ 9
H.F. 2324 education savings grant. 1 c. Education savings grants shall only be approved for one 2 school year and applications must be submitted under paragraph 3 “a” for education savings grants in subsequent school years. 4 3. a. (1) The department of management shall assign each 5 pupil an education savings grant in an amount equal to one of 6 the following: 7 (a) For pupils that meet the income eligibility requirement 8 for free and reduced price meals under the federal National 9 School Lunch Act and the federal Child Nutrition Act of 10 1966, 42 U.S.C. § 1751-1785, one hundred percent of the 11 state foundation aid per pupil received by the pupil’s school 12 district of residence in the same school year. 13 (b) For pupils from a household with an income that is 14 greater than the income eligibility requirement for free and 15 reduced price meals under the federal National School Lunch 16 Act and the federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. 17 § 1751-1785, but that is less than one hundred fifty percent 18 of such income eligibility requirement, seventy-five percent 19 of the state foundation aid per pupil received by the pupil’s 20 school district of residence in the same school year. 21 (c) For pupils from a household with an income that is 22 equal to or greater than one hundred fifty percent of the 23 income eligibility requirement for free and reduced price meals 24 under the federal National School Lunch Act and the federal 25 Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. § 1751-1785, but that 26 is less than two hundred percent of such income eligibility 27 requirement, fifty percent of the state foundation aid per 28 pupil received by the pupil’s school district of residence in 29 the same school year. 30 (d) For pupils from a household with an income that is 31 equal to or greater than two hundred percent of the income 32 eligibility requirement for free and reduced price meals under 33 the federal National School Lunch Act and the federal Child 34 Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. § 1751-1785, but that is less 35 -3- LSB 5925YH (3) 84 md/sc 3/ 9
H.F. 2324 than two hundred fifty percent of such income eligibility 1 requirement, twenty-five percent of the state foundation aid 2 per pupil received by the pupil’s school district of residence 3 in the same school year. 4 (2) The department of management, in consultation with the 5 department of education, shall reduce the September payment 6 to the pupil’s school district of residence otherwise payable 7 pursuant to section 257.16 for the school budget year by an 8 amount equal to the education savings grant awarded to the 9 pupil for that budget year. 10 b. The department of management shall on July 1 following 11 the determination of the amount of the education savings grant 12 for each approved pupil transfer such amounts to the pupil’s 13 account in the Iowa education savings grant fund established 14 under subsection 4. Such amount shall be available for 15 disbursement to the pupil’s parent or guardian for the payment 16 of qualified educational expenses incurred by such persons for 17 the pupil during that school year. 18 4. An Iowa education savings grant fund is created in 19 the state treasury under the control of the department of 20 management consisting of moneys appropriated to the department 21 for the purpose of providing education savings grants under 22 this section. For the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2013, and 23 each succeeding fiscal year, there is appropriated from the 24 general fund of the state to the department of management the 25 amount necessary to pay all education savings grants approved 26 for that fiscal year. The director of the department of 27 management has all powers necessary to carry out and effectuate 28 the purposes, objectives, and provisions of this section 29 pertaining to the fund, including the power to do all of the 30 following: 31 a. Make and enter into contracts necessary for the 32 administration of the fund. 33 b. Procure insurance against any loss in connection with the 34 assets of the fund. 35 -4- LSB 5925YH (3) 84 md/sc 4/ 9
H.F. 2324 c. Make disbursements from a pupil’s account within the 1 fund to the pupil’s parents or guardians for the payment of 2 qualified educational expenses. 3 d. Make transfers to pupils’ Iowa education savings plan 4 trust accounts established under chapter 12D. 5 e. Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A for the 6 administration of the fund and accounts within the fund. 7 5. a. For each pupil approved for an education savings 8 grant, the department shall establish an account for that pupil 9 in the education savings grant fund. The amount of the pupil’s 10 education savings grant determined under subsection 3 shall be 11 deposited into the pupil’s account on July 1 and such amount 12 shall be immediately available for disbursement to parents and 13 guardians upon filing and approval of claims from the pupil’s 14 account for qualified education expenses incurred by the parent 15 or guardian for the pupil during that fiscal year. 16 b. A parent or guardian of a pupil may on forms prescribed 17 by the department of management submit claims for disbursements 18 of moneys within the account. The department may by rule 19 designate the appropriate supporting documentation necessary 20 for the disbursement of moneys in an account including but not 21 limited to invoices of amounts due and receipts of amounts paid 22 for qualified education expenses. 23 c. The department of management shall upon conclusion of 24 the fiscal year and disbursement of all claims submitted by 25 a parent or guardian before conclusion of the fiscal year 26 transfer any remaining amounts in the pupil’s account within 27 the education savings grant fund to the pupil’s Iowa education 28 savings plan trust account pursuant to chapter 12D. 29 6. For purposes of this section, “qualified educational 30 expense” includes tuition and fees at an accredited nonpublic 31 school, textbooks, payment to a licensed or accredited tutor, 32 curriculum materials, tuition or fees for nonpublic online 33 education programs, education materials and services for pupils 34 with disabilities, standardized test fees, and other expenses 35 -5- LSB 5925YH (3) 84 md/sc 5/ 9
H.F. 2324 incurred by the parent or guardian that are directly related to 1 the education of the pupil at an accredited nonpublic school or 2 directly related to providing competent private instruction for 3 the pupil under chapter 299A. 4 7. A person who makes a false claim for the purpose of 5 obtaining an education savings grant provided for in this 6 section or who knowingly receives the grant without being 7 legally entitled to it is guilty of a fraudulent practice. The 8 false claim for an education savings grant shall be disallowed 9 and if amounts from the grant have been disbursed from the 10 applicable account in the education savings grant fund or 11 transferred to an Iowa education savings plan trust account 12 under chapter 12D, the department of management shall initiate 13 legal proceedings to recover such amounts. 14 Sec. 5. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to school budget 15 years and fiscal years beginning on or after July 1, 2013. 16 EXPLANATION 17 This bill provides education savings grants for certain 18 pupils attending an accredited nonpublic school or receiving 19 competent private instruction and establishes an education 20 savings grant fund. 21 Under the bill, pupils eligible to enroll in grades 22 kindergarten through 12 and attending an accredited nonpublic 23 school or receiving competent private instruction under Code 24 chapter 299A are eligible to receive an education savings 25 grant for school years beginning on or after July 1, 2013. By 26 January 31 preceding the school year for which the education 27 savings grant is requested, the parent or guardian of the pupil 28 requesting to receive an education savings grant must submit an 29 application to the department of education indicating that the 30 parent or guardian intends to enroll the pupil in an accredited 31 nonpublic school or provide competent private instruction for 32 the pupil. As part of the application, the parent or guardian 33 must also certify that an account for the pupil has been 34 established in the Iowa education savings plan trust pursuant 35 -6- LSB 5925YH (3) 84 md/sc 6/ 9
H.F. 2324 to Code chapter 12D (college savings Iowa 529 plan). 1 The bill requires that by March 1 preceding the school 2 year for which the education savings grant is requested, 3 the department of education must notify the department of 4 management of the number of pupils in each school district 5 designated for the following school year to receive an 6 education savings grant and the amount of the education savings 7 grant for each pupil. Education savings grants may only be 8 approved for one school year and applications must be submitted 9 for education savings grants in subsequent school years. 10 The amount of each education savings grant is determined 11 based on the pupil’s household income. For pupils that 12 meet the income eligibility requirement for free and reduced 13 price meals, the grant is equal to 100 percent of the state 14 foundation aid per pupil received by the pupil’s school 15 district of residence in the same school year. For household 16 incomes greater than the income eligibility requirement for 17 free and reduced price meals but less than 150 percent of 18 such income eligibility requirement, the grant is equal to 75 19 percent of the state foundation aid per pupil received by the 20 pupil’s school district of residence in the same school year. 21 For household incomes equal to or greater than 150 percent of 22 the income eligibility requirement for free and reduced price 23 meals, but less than 200 percent of such income eligibility 24 requirement, the grant is equal to 50 percent of the state 25 foundation aid per pupil received by the pupil’s school 26 district of residence in the same school year. For household 27 incomes equal to or greater than 200 percent of the income 28 eligibility requirement for free and reduced price meals, but 29 less than 250 percent of such income eligibility requirement, 30 the grant is equal to 25 percent of the state foundation aid 31 per pupil received by the pupil’s school district of residence 32 in the same school year. 33 The bill creates an Iowa education savings grant fund in 34 the state treasury under the control of the department of 35 -7- LSB 5925YH (3) 84 md/sc 7/ 9
H.F. 2324 management consisting of moneys appropriated to the department 1 for the purpose of providing education savings grants. For 2 the fiscal year commencing July 1, 2013, and each succeeding 3 fiscal year, there is appropriated from the general fund of 4 the state to the department of management the amount necessary 5 to pay all education savings grants approved for that fiscal 6 year. For each pupil approved for an education savings grant, 7 the department of management must establish an account for that 8 pupil in the educational savings grant fund. The amount of the 9 pupil’s education savings grant is deposited into the pupil’s 10 account on July 1 and such amount is available for disbursement 11 to parents and guardians upon filing and approval of claims 12 from the pupil’s account for qualified education expenses, as 13 defined in the bill, incurred by the parent or guardian for the 14 pupil during that fiscal year. 15 The bill requires the department of management to, upon 16 conclusion of the fiscal year and disbursement of all claims 17 submitted by a parent or guardian before conclusion of the 18 fiscal year, transfer any remaining amounts in the pupil’s 19 account to the pupil’s Iowa education savings plan trust 20 account. However, such contributions to a pupil’s Iowa 21 education savings plan trust account are not considered 22 contributions that may be deducted for Iowa income tax purposes 23 under Code section 12D.3. 24 The bill provides that a person who makes a false claim for 25 the purpose of obtaining an education savings grant or who 26 knowingly receives the grant without being legally entitled 27 to it is guilty of a fraudulent practice and is subject to a 28 criminal penalty. The bill allows the department of management 29 to initiate legal proceedings to recover grants improperly 30 awarded under the bill. 31 Pupils receiving an education savings grant under the bill 32 are counted in the actual enrollment for the pupil’s school 33 district of residence, however, the amount of the grant for 34 each such student is subtracted from the amount of state aid 35 -8- LSB 5925YH (3) 84 md/sc 8/ 9
H.F. 2324 otherwise paid to the school district for that budget year. 1 The bill applies to school budget years and fiscal years 2 beginning on or after July 1, 2013. 3 -9- LSB 5925YH (3) 84 md/sc 9/ 9
feedback