By: Cain H.B. No. 41
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of a parental empowerment program
  administered by the comptroller of public accounts.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  This Act may be cited as the Texas Parental
  Empowerment Act of 2023.
         SECTION 2.  The legislature finds that:
               (1)  parents should be empowered to direct their
  children's education;
               (2)  there is not one best educational option for all
  children in this state;
               (3)  children belong to their parents, not to the
  government;
               (4)  the best education for children in this state is
  one directed by their parents, with all educational options made
  available and accessible through a program in which money follows
  each child to the educational option that best meets the child's
  unique educational needs; and
               (5)  in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, 140
  S. Ct. 2246 (2020) and Carson v. Makin, 142 S. Ct. 1987 (2022), the
  United States Supreme Court held that state prohibitions on the use
  of generally available state tuition assistance programs for
  children to attend religious schools violate the Free Exercise
  Clause of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
         SECTION 3.  The purpose of this Act is to achieve a general
  diffusion of knowledge, increase efficiency by providing highly
  qualified education professionals an opportunity to empower
  parents to make the best decision regarding the education of the
  parent's child, enshrine the parent as the primary decision maker
  in all matters involving the parent's child, and fully fund schools
  in this state while giving parents a choice about which type of
  school is the right choice for the parent's child.
         SECTION 4.  Section 48.266, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
         (b-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (b), the commissioner
  shall adjust enrollment estimates and entitlement for each school
  district for each school year based on information provided by the
  comptroller under Section 48.551(g). This subsection expires
  September 1, 2028.
         SECTION 5.  Chapter 48, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter J to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER J. PARENTAL EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM
         Sec. 48.551.  PARENTAL EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM. (a) In this
  subchapter, "program" means the Parental Empowerment Program
  established under this section.
         (b)  A parent or legal guardian of an eligible student who
  agrees to accept reimbursement in an amount that is less than the
  state average maintenance and operations expenditures per student
  may receive reimbursement from the state for the tuition paid for
  the enrollment of the eligible student at a private school in an
  amount that is the lesser of:
               (1)  the tuition paid; or
               (2)  80 percent of the state average maintenance and
  operations expenditures per student.
         (c)  A student is eligible to participate in the program if
  the student is a school-age child who resides in this state.
         (d)  Money from the available school fund and federal funds
  may not be used for reimbursement under this section.
         (e)  A private school voluntarily selected by a parent for
  the parent's child to attend, with or without governmental
  assistance, may not be required to comply with any state law or rule
  governing the school's educational program that was not in effect
  on September 1, 2023.
         (f)  The comptroller shall administer the program and
  provide reimbursement to a parent or legal guardian of an eligible
  student, or the parent's or guardian's assignees, as authorized by
  this section.
         (g)  Not later than October 1 of each year, the comptroller
  shall notify the commissioner and the Legislative Budget Board of
  the number of eligible students likely to participate in the
  program, disaggregated by the school district or open-enrollment
  charter school the eligible students would otherwise attend. Not
  later than March 1 of each year, the comptroller shall provide final
  information to the commissioner and the Legislative Budget Board
  regarding the number of students participating in the program,
  disaggregated in the same manner as the initial information.
         (h)  Each school year, the agency shall, subject to the
  approval of the governor and the Legislative Budget Board,
  distribute to each school district and open-enrollment charter
  school on a per student basis a total amount of funding equal to the
  amount of any cost savings to the Foundation School Program that
  resulted from the operation of the program during the preceding
  school year.
         Sec. 48.552.  ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS.  (a)  The comptroller may
  deduct a percentage of each reimbursement made under this
  subchapter to cover the comptroller's administrative costs in
  implementing and administering the program. The percentage
  deducted from each reimbursement may not exceed the lesser of:
               (1)  the pro rata cost of the program in the applicable
  year; or
               (2)  two percent of the amount of the reimbursement.
         (b)  This section expires September 1, 2033.
         SECTION 6.  (a) As soon as practicable, but not later than
  February 15, 2024, the comptroller of public accounts, in
  coordination with the commissioner of education, shall adopt rules
  to implement the Parental Empowerment Program under Subchapter J,
  Chapter 48, Education Code, as added by this Act, including rules to
  prevent fraud in financial transactions under the program and to
  determine the net savings resulting from implementation of the
  program.
         (b)  The rules adopted under Subsection (a) of this section
  must require reconciliation of payments for all reimbursements
  within the same fiscal year or within the first month following the
  end of the fiscal year.
         SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
  last day of the legislative session.