Signed by Governor Jim Pillen

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires the State Treasurer establish education scholarships and repeals the Opportunity Scholarships Act in Nebraska.

Highlights:

• Alleges that Funds appropriated for the education of students in kindergarten through twelfth grade are for a fundamental public purpose of state government and constitute an ordinary expense of state government (Sec. 1). 

• Alleges that Enabling the greatest number of parents and legal guardians to choose among quality educational opportunities for children will improve the quality of education available to all children (Sec. 1). 

• Alleges that the Nebraska legislature supports that privately operated elementary and secondary schools in Nebraska satisfy the state's requirements for legal operation and provide quality educational opportunities for children (Sec. 1).

• Defines a Education scholarship as meaning a financial grant-in-aid to be used to pay all or part of the cost to educate an eligible student attending a qualified school (Sec. 1).

• Defines what an eligible Nebraska student is (Sec. 1). 

• Authorizes the state treasurer to develop a scholarship program (Sec. 1). 

• Specifies which students to give first priority to for scholarships including siblings of scholarship recipients, students who were victims of violent crime, and students whose family were active duty military who died in duty(Sec. 1). 

• Authorizes the state treasurer to enter into a contract with three program managers to handle the scholarship programs (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text