PHOENIX — The Arizona House of Representatives has devised a special committee that will examine how the state shall provide oversight to its expanded school voucher program.
House Speaker Ben Toma and Minority Leader Andres Cano announced Wednesday they had agreed to create a committee on Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Governance and Oversight in order to gain clarity on how to administer the education program.
ESA vouchers allow students to utilize public funds to attend a private school. The program was initially intended for students with special needs, but its eligibility requirements have since been expanded.
Gov. Katie Hobbs and other Democrats have threatened to undo the massive expansion of ESA vouchers.
State auditors have previously identified flaws in the ESA program which have allowed parents to use voucher funds on inappropriate purchases. A 2018 report found that more than $700,000 in unapproved transactions had been made with ESA-issued debit cards.
"This included one parent who misspent more than $3,100 of program monies after being removed from the Program but before his/her debit card was deactivated," the 2018 report states.
The new legislative committee is assigned to collect information from parents and experts to ensure the administration of ESA is "appropriately designed to manage a growing and complex program."
The committee will also investigate appropriate uses of specified metrics provided by the Arizona Department of Education in relation to ESA accounts.
Two Republicans and two Democrats from the Arizona House will sit on the committee, alongside two members of the public and representatives from state agencies.
The committee will be expected to publish a report of its findings by the end of 2023.
Editor's Note: The above video is from an earlier broadcast.
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