HB1008

House Bill 1008 amends the Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids Program and the Arkansas Children's Educational Freedom Account Program to expand eligibility and funding protections for students with disabilities. It modifies the definition of a 'qualified student' under the Philanthropic Investment in Arkansas Kids Program to include students with disabilities identified under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The bill also provides an exemption for these students from the requirement that scholarship recipients must not have been continuously enrolled in a private school during the previous year. Furthermore, it establishes that students who participated in the Succeed Scholarship Program during the 2022-2023 school year and transition to the Arkansas Children's Educational Freedom Account Program will receive funding equal to 100% of the prior year's statewide foundation funding amount per student until graduation or completion. Finally, the bill includes an emergency clause to ensure immediate implementation for the 2023-2024 school year.