Bill Text: TX HB557 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of an educational expenses reimbursement program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 4-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-02-23 - Referred to Public Education [HB557 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB557-Introduced.html
| 88R1690 MEW-D | ||
| By: Vasut | H.B. No. 557 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to the establishment of an educational expenses | ||
| reimbursement program. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 33, Education Code, is amended by adding | ||
| Subchapter H to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER H. EDUCATIONAL EXPENSES REIMBURSEMENT PROGRAM | ||
| Sec. 33.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
| (1) "Parent" means a resident of this state who is a | ||
| natural or adoptive parent, managing or possessory conservator, | ||
| legal guardian, custodian, or other person with legal authority to | ||
| act on behalf of a child. | ||
| (2) "Program" means the educational expenses | ||
| reimbursement program established under this subchapter. | ||
| Sec. 33.302. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. (a) The | ||
| comptroller shall establish and administer an educational expenses | ||
| reimbursement program to provide reimbursement to parents for | ||
| eligible education-related expenses. | ||
| (b) The comptroller, with cooperation from the agency, | ||
| shall ensure that information about the program is readily | ||
| available to the public through various sources, including the | ||
| agency's Internet website. | ||
| Sec. 33.303. ELIGIBLE EDUCATION-RELATED EXPENSES. (a) A | ||
| parent may only be reimbursed under the program for the following | ||
| expenses incurred by a parent: | ||
| (1) tuition and fees: | ||
| (A) at a private school accredited by an | ||
| organization that is recognized by the Texas Private School | ||
| Accreditation Commission; or | ||
| (B) for an online educational course or program; | ||
| (2) the purchase of textbooks or other instructional | ||
| materials required by a school, course, or program; | ||
| (3) fees for classes or other educational services | ||
| provided by a public school; | ||
| (4) fees for services provided by a private tutor or | ||
| teaching service; | ||
| (5) costs of transportation to and from school; | ||
| (6) for a child with a disability, fees for | ||
| educational therapies or services provided by a practitioner or | ||
| provider; | ||
| (7) costs of computer hardware and software and other | ||
| technological devices necessary to facilitate a child's education; | ||
| (8) fees for a nationally norm-referenced achievement | ||
| test or examination, an assessment instrument adopted by the agency | ||
| under Section 39.023, an advanced placement test or similar | ||
| examination, or any other examination or assessment instrument | ||
| related to college or university admission; and | ||
| (9) school supplies. | ||
| (b) An educational services provider or vendor of | ||
| educational products must provide a parent with a receipt for each | ||
| expense allowed under Subsection (a) charged by the provider or | ||
| vendor to the parent. | ||
| Sec. 33.304. AMOUNT OF REIMBURSEMENT PAYMENT. Each year, a | ||
| parent is entitled to receive a reimbursement payment from the | ||
| state in an amount that is equal to the lesser of: | ||
| (1) the total amount of all eligible education-related | ||
| expenses described by Section 33.303 incurred by the parent during | ||
| the most recent federal income tax year; or | ||
| (2) the deduction amount for state and local sales and | ||
| use taxes claimed by the parent on the parent's federal income tax | ||
| return for the most recent federal income tax year. | ||
| Sec. 33.305. APPLICATION FOR REIMBURSEMENT. A parent must | ||
| apply for a reimbursement payment not later than December 31 of the | ||
| year following the federal income tax year during which the parent | ||
| incurred the eligible education-related expenses. The application | ||
| must be in the form and manner specified by the comptroller and | ||
| include any information the comptroller determines to be necessary | ||
| to administer this subchapter. | ||
| Sec. 33.306. VERIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY. On receipt of an | ||
| application under Section 33.305, the comptroller shall verify that | ||
| the applicant is eligible for the reimbursement payment based on: | ||
| (1) information provided by the applicant; and | ||
| (2) if necessary, other information available to the | ||
| comptroller, including information provided by the Internal | ||
| Revenue Service. | ||
| Sec. 33.307. PAYMENT OF REIMBURSEMENT. The comptroller | ||
| shall make a reimbursement payment under this subchapter by any | ||
| means the comptroller determines appropriate, including by | ||
| electronic funds transfer. | ||
| Sec. 33.308. RULES. The comptroller shall adopt rules | ||
| necessary to implement this subchapter, including rules for | ||
| implementing this subchapter in a manner that ensures compliance | ||
| with federal law regarding confidentiality of student educational | ||
| information, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy | ||
| Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section 1232g). | ||
| SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
| of this Act, the comptroller of public accounts shall adopt the | ||
| rules required by Section 33.308, Education Code, as added by this | ||
| Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
