SB0062S04 | Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship Program Amendments

Description

General Description:

This bill modifies the Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship Program (the program).

Highlighted Provisions:

This bill modifies the Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship Program by expanding eligibility for the program to include siblings of scholarship students.

Bill Details

Bill Number:

SB0062S04

Year:

2022

Status:

Governor Signed

Last Action:

Mar 23, 2022

Fiscal Note

Fiscal Note Amount:

None

View Fiscal Note

Utah PTA Response

Utah PTA Position

Oppose

SB 62 started out as a bill called INCOME TAX RATE REDUCTION with the description: “This bill amends the corporate franchise and income tax rates; and amends the individual income tax rate. Utah PTA Opposed SB 62

After passing the Senate Rules Committee it was substituted for a new bill called “SPECIAL NEEDS OPPORTUNITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM AMENDMENTS” with the description: “This bill expands eligibility for the program to include siblings of scholarship students.”

Utah PTA Resolution:

EDU 2021-1 | Education Funding (retired)

Impact on Children:

This bill allows for a corporate and individual income tax credit for donations to the program which decrease the amount of money available for public school funding. It also creates a "scholarship program" for private school funding and other educational expenses.

Commission:

Education

Special Needs Specialist

Utah PTA Public Policy Program

National PTA and Utah PTA Resolutions:

Utah PTA opposes vouchers, tax credits and deductions and other similar funding sources for public and private preschool, elementary and secondary school tuition and other education-related expenses for students.

National PTA and Utah PTA Position Statements:

National PTA Public Policy: OPPOSING VOUCHERS, TUITION TAX CREDITS AND DEDUCTIONS AS SYSTEMS OF EDUCATION AID The National PTA opposes education voucher proposals for public and nonpublic preschool, elementary and secondary school students. The National PTA opposes tax credits and deductions for elementary and secondary school tuition and other education-related expenses for public and nonpublic school students. The National PTA believes that these funding methods would have a detrimental effect on our public school system. Such funding would promote division without diversity, create division and separation within the community and negate the long struggle to desegregate our schools and our society. It is the opinion of the National PTA that vouchers and similar systems would violate the constitutionally mandated separation of church and state.