SB 2

S.B. No. 2
  AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of an education savings account
  program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The purpose of this Act is to:
               (1)  provide additional educational options to assist
  families in this state in exercising the right to direct the
  educational needs of their children; and
               (2)  achieve a general diffusion of knowledge.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 29, Education Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter J to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER J.  EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT PROGRAM
         Sec. 29.351.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Account" means an education savings account
  established under the program.
               (2)  "Certified educational assistance organization"
  means an organization certified under Section 29.354 to support the
  administration of the program.
               (3)  "Child with a disability" means a child who is
  eligible to participate in a school district's special education
  program under Section 29.003.
               (4)  "Higher education provider" means an institution
  of higher education or a private or independent institution of
  higher education, as those terms are defined by Section 61.003.
               (5)  "Parent" means a resident of this state who is a
  natural or adoptive parent, managing or possessory conservator,
  legal guardian, custodian, or other person with legal authority to
  act on behalf of a child.
               (6)  "Participating child" means a child enrolled in
  the program.
               (7)  "Participating parent" means a parent of a
  participating child.
               (8)  "Program" means the program established under this
  subchapter.
               (9)  "Program participant" means a participating child
  or a participating parent.
         Sec. 29.352.  ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.  (a)  The
  comptroller shall establish and administer a program to provide
  funding for approved education-related expenses of children
  participating in the program and has the authority to:
               (1)  execute contracts, agreements, and other
  instruments for goods and services;
               (2)  engage the services of private consultants,
  actuaries, trustees, records administrators, managers, and legal
  counsel for administrative and technical assistance; and
               (3)  perform any duty assigned to a certified
  educational assistance organization under this subchapter.
         (b)  The program confers a state benefit to program
  participants in addition to a free public education.
         Sec. 29.3521.  AMOUNT OF APPROPRIATION; LIMITATION ON
  EXPENDITURES.  (a)  In the comptroller's legislative appropriations
  request for each state fiscal biennium, the comptroller shall state
  the amount of money necessary for the biennium to provide the amount
  specified under Section 29.361 for each:
               (1)  participating child;
               (2)  child on the waiting list maintained by the
  comptroller under Section 29.356(f) on the January 1 preceding the
  biennium; and
               (3)  child who is a sibling of a participating child and
  is eligible for the program under Section 29.355 for the first time
  during that biennium.
         (b)  For purposes of Subsection (a), the comptroller shall
  specify the amount described by that subsection for the first state
  fiscal year of the biennium and estimate the amount required for the
  second state fiscal year of the biennium.
         (c)  Notwithstanding the amount stated in the comptroller's
  legislative appropriations request under Subsection (a), the
  amount appropriated for purposes of the program for a state fiscal
  biennium must be established by the legislature by appropriation
  for that biennium.
         (c-1)  Notwithstanding any other law, for the state fiscal
  biennium beginning September 1, 2025, the amount spent for purposes
  of the program may not exceed $1 billion.  This subsection expires
  September 1, 2027.
         (d)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter,
  for each school year, the total amount of money spent for purposes
  of participation in the program by children described by Section
  29.356(b)(2)(D) may not exceed 20 percent of the amount of money
  appropriated from the program fund for that school year.  In
  allocating money under the program in accordance with this
  subsection, the comptroller shall ensure children who were enrolled
  in a school district or open-enrollment charter school for at least
  90 percent of the preceding school year are prioritized.
         Sec. 29.353.  PROGRAM FUND.  (a)  The program fund is an
  account in the general revenue fund to be administered by the
  comptroller.
         (b)  The fund is composed of:
               (1)  general revenue transferred to the fund;
               (2)  money appropriated to the fund;
               (3)  interest and other earnings attributable to the
  investment of money in the fund;
               (4)  gifts, grants, and donations received under
  Section 29.370; and
               (5)  any other money available for purposes of the
  program.
         (c)  Money in the fund may be used only for the purposes
  specified by this subchapter.
         Sec. 29.3535.  PROMOTION OF PROGRAM.  Notwithstanding any
  other law, the comptroller or the comptroller's designee may enter
  into contracts or agreements and engage in marketing, advertising,
  and other activities to promote, market, and advertise the
  development and use of the program.  The comptroller may use money
  from the program fund to pay for activities authorized under this
  section.
         Sec. 29.354.  SELECTION OF CERTIFIED EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE
  ORGANIZATIONS.  (a)  An organization may apply to the comptroller
  for certification as a certified educational assistance
  organization during an application period established by the
  comptroller.
         (b)  To be eligible for certification, an organization must:
               (1)  have the ability to perform one or more of the
  duties and functions required of a certified educational assistance
  organization under this subchapter;
               (2)  be registered to do business in this state; and
               (3)  be able to assist the comptroller in administering
  the program wholly or partly, including the ability to:
                     (A)  accept, process, and track applications for
  the program;
                     (B)  assist prospective applicants, applicants,
  and program participants with finding preapproved education
  service providers and vendors of educational products;
                     (C)  accept and process payments for approved
  education-related expenses;
                     (D)  verify that program funding is used only for
  approved education-related expenses;
                     (E)  verify that a program participant is eligible
  to participate in the program;
                     (F)  accept, track, review, and resolve inquiries
  and complaints received regarding the program; and
                     (G)  establish and maintain a
  comptroller-approved Internet website for the program.
         (c)  The comptroller shall establish cybersecurity
  requirements for certified educational assistance organizations,
  including the implementation of best practices developed under
  Section 2054.5181, Government Code.
         (d)  The comptroller may certify not more than five
  educational assistance organizations to support the administration
  of the program, including by:
               (1)  administering wholly or partly:
                     (A)  the application process under Section
  29.356; and
                     (B)  the program expenditures process under
  Section 29.360; and
               (2)  assisting prospective applicants, applicants, and
  program participants with understanding approved education-related
  expenses and finding preapproved education service providers and
  vendors of educational products.
         (e)  A certified educational assistance organization
  designated to perform duties described by Subsection (d)(2) shall:
               (1)  communicate with parents interested in
  participating in the program and program participants through
  synchronous and asynchronous communication, prioritizing
  synchronous communication, regarding:
                     (A)  the educational options available in this
  state;
                     (B)  how and when to apply to the program and
  preapproved education service providers;
                     (C)  how to manage an account, including
  requesting payments;
                     (D)  program requirements; and
                     (E)  any other information necessary to fulfill
  the organization's responsibilities under this subchapter; and
               (2)  raise awareness regarding the availability of the
  program.
         (f)  The comptroller may designate a certified educational
  assistance organization to establish and maintain a
  comptroller-approved Internet website for the program.
         Sec. 29.355.  ELIGIBLE CHILD.  (a)  A child is eligible to
  participate in the program and may, subject to available funding,
  enroll in the program for the semester following the semester in
  which the child's application is submitted under Section 29.356 if:
               (1)  the child's parent establishes that the child is a
  citizen or national of the United States or was lawfully admitted
  into the United States; and
               (2)  the child is eligible to:
                     (A)  attend a school district or open-enrollment
  charter school under Section 25.001, including if the child is a
  child of a parent who is an active duty member of the United States
  armed forces; or
                     (B)  enroll in a school district's or
  open-enrollment charter school's prekindergarten program under
  Section 29.153.
         (a-1)  A child's parent may establish proof of the child's
  residency in this state for purposes of verifying the child's
  eligibility to participate in the program under Subsection (a)(2)
  by submitting any of the following documents in the parent's name:
               (1)  a utility bill;
               (2)  a lease agreement or mortgage statement;
               (3)  a driver's license or state ID;
               (4)  a voter registration certificate;
               (5)  a letter from a government agency; or
               (6)  a notarized affidavit of residency.
         (b)  A child who establishes eligibility under this section
  may, subject to available funding and the requirements of this
  subchapter, participate in the program until the earliest of the
  date on which:
               (1)  the child graduates from high school;
               (2)  the child is no longer eligible to either attend a
  school district or open-enrollment charter school under Section
  25.001 or enroll in a school district's or open-enrollment charter
  school's prekindergarten program under Section 29.153, as
  applicable;
               (3)  the child enrolls in a school district or
  open-enrollment charter school in a manner in which the child will
  be counted toward the district's or school's average daily
  attendance for purposes of the allocation of funding under the
  Foundation School Program; or
               (4)  the child is declared ineligible for the program
  by the comptroller under this subchapter.
         Sec. 29.356.  APPLICATION TO PROGRAM.  (a)  A parent of an
  eligible child may apply to a certified educational assistance
  organization designated by the comptroller to enroll the child in
  the program for the following semester, term, or school year, as
  determined by the comptroller.  The comptroller shall establish
  deadlines by which an applicant must complete and submit an
  application form to participate in the program.
         (b)  On receipt of more acceptable applications during an
  application period for admission under this section than available
  positions in the program due to insufficient funding, a certified
  educational assistance organization shall, at the direction of the
  comptroller, fill the available positions by lottery of applicants,
  approving applicants:
               (1)  in the following order:
                     (A)  siblings of participating children;
                     (B)  children to whom Paragraph (C) does not
  apply; and
                     (C)  children who previously ceased participation
  in the program due to enrollment in a school district or
  open-enrollment charter school; and
               (2)  within each of the groups described by Subdivision
  (1), in the following order, as applicable:
                     (A)  children with a disability who are members of
  a household with a total annual income that is at or below 500
  percent of the federal poverty guidelines;
                     (B)  children who are members of a household with
  a total annual income that is at or below 200 percent of the federal
  poverty guidelines;
                     (C)  children who are members of a household with
  a total annual income that is above 200 percent of the federal
  poverty guidelines and below 500 percent of the federal poverty
  guidelines; and
                     (D)  children who are members of a household with
  a total annual income that is at or above 500 percent of the federal
  poverty guidelines.
         (c)  For purposes of Subsection (b), a certified educational
  assistance organization that receives an application from an
  eligible child and the child's eligible sibling during the same
  application cycle and approves the child's application shall
  approve the sibling's application at the same time.
         (d)  The comptroller shall adopt rules necessary to
  administer Subsection (b).  The comptroller shall provide for
  posting on the Internet website established and maintained for the
  program any rule adopted under this subsection.
         (e)  The comptroller shall create an application form for the
  program and make the application form readily available through
  various sources, including the Internet website established and
  maintained for the program.  The application form must state the
  application deadlines established by the comptroller under
  Subsection (a).  Each certified educational assistance
  organization shall ensure that the organization is capable of
  receiving the application form, including any required supporting
  document, electronically.
         (f)  The comptroller shall create and maintain a waiting list
  based on the priority categories described by Subsection (b) for
  applicants if, during an application period, there are more
  acceptable applications for admission than there are available
  positions.
         (g)  Each certified educational assistance organization
  designated under Subsection (a) shall provide for posting on the
  Internet website established and maintained for the program a
  comptroller-approved applicant and participant handbook with a
  description of the program, including:
               (1)  expenses allowed under the program under Section
  29.359;
               (2)  a list of preapproved education service providers
  and vendors of educational products under Section 29.358;
               (3)  a description of the application process under
  this section and the program expenditures process under Section
  29.360; and
               (4)  a description of the responsibilities of program
  participants.
         (h)   Each certified educational assistance organization
  designated under Subsection (a) shall annually provide to each
  participating parent served by the organization the information
  described by Subsection (g).  The organization may provide the
  information electronically.
         (i)  The comptroller or a certified educational assistance
  organization designated under Subsection (a):
               (1)  may require the participating parent to submit
  annual notice regarding the parent's intent for the child to
  continue participating in the program for the next school year; and
               (2)  may not require a program participant in good
  standing to annually resubmit an application for continued
  participation in the program.
         (j)  The agency shall provide to the comptroller the
  information necessary to make the determinations required under
  Subsection (b).
         Sec. 29.357.  PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAM.  (a)  To receive
  funding under the program, a participating parent must agree to:
               (1)  request that program money be spent only for
  expenses allowed under Section 29.359;
               (2)  share or authorize the administrator of an
  assessment instrument to share with the program participant's
  certified educational assistance organization the results of any
  assessment instrument required to be administered to the child
  under Section 29.358(b)(2)(B) or other law;
               (3)  refrain from selling an item purchased with
  program money; and
               (4)  notify the program participant's certified
  educational assistance organization not later than 30 business days
  after the date on which the child:
                     (A)  enrolls in a school district or
  open-enrollment charter school;
                     (B)  graduates from high school; or
                     (C)  is no longer eligible to either:
                           (i)  enroll in a school district or
  open-enrollment charter school under Section 25.001; or
                           (ii)  enroll in a school district's or
  open-enrollment charter school's prekindergarten program under
  Section 29.153.
         (b)  The administrator of an assessment instrument required
  to be administered under Section 29.358(b)(2)(B) or other law shall
  share with a parent the participating child's results on the
  assessment instrument, including, if available, the participating
  child's percentile rank.  A child's results and rank on an
  assessment instrument administered under this section are
  confidential, are not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552,
  Government Code, and may only be shared as necessary to fulfill the
  requirements of this subchapter.  In providing the results and rank
  for an assessment instrument, the administrator shall ensure
  compliance with state and federal law regarding the confidentiality
  of student educational information, including the Family
  Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C. Section
  1232g).
         Sec. 29.358.  PREAPPROVED PROVIDERS AND VENDORS.  (a)  The
  comptroller shall by rule establish a process for the preapproval
  of education service providers and vendors of educational products
  for participation in the program.  The comptroller shall allow for
  the submission of applications on a rolling basis.
         (b)  The comptroller shall approve an education service
  provider or vendor of educational products for participation in the
  program if the provider or vendor:
               (1)  has previously been approved by the agency to
  provide supplemental special education services under Subchapter
  A-1 and remains in good standing with the agency;
               (2)  for a private school, demonstrates:
                     (A)  accreditation by an organization recognized
  by:
                           (i)  the Texas Private School Accreditation
  Commission; or
                           (ii)  the agency;
                     (B)  annual administration for students in grades
  3 through 12 of a nationally norm-referenced assessment instrument
  or the appropriate assessment instrument required under Subchapter
  B, Chapter 39; and
                     (C)  the school has continuously operated a campus
  for at least two school years preceding the date the school seeks
  approval under this section;
               (3)  for a school district or open-enrollment charter
  school, demonstrates:
                     (A)  accreditation by the agency; and
                     (B)  the ability to provide services or products
  to participating children in a manner in which the children are not
  counted toward the district's or school's average daily attendance;
               (4)  for a private tutor, therapist, or teaching
  service, demonstrates that:
                     (A)  the tutor or therapist or each employee of
  the teaching service who intends to provide educational services to
  a participating child:
                           (i)  is an educator employed by or a retired
  educator formerly employed by a school accredited by the agency, an
  organization recognized by the agency, or an organization
  recognized by the Texas Private School Accreditation Commission;
                           (ii)  holds a relevant license or
  accreditation issued by a state, regional, or national
  certification or accreditation organization; or
                           (iii)  is employed in or retired from a
  teaching or tutoring capacity at a higher education provider;
                     (B)  the tutor or therapist or each employee of
  the teaching service who intends to provide educational services to
  a participating child provides to the comptroller a national
  criminal history record information review completed for the tutor,
  therapist, or employee, as applicable, within a period established
  by comptroller rule or authorizes the comptroller or the
  comptroller's designee to conduct a national criminal history
  record information review of the tutor, therapist, or employee as
  prescribed by comptroller rule; and
                     (C)  the tutor or therapist or each employee of
  the teaching service who intends to provide educational services to
  a participating child is not:
                           (i)  required to be discharged or refused to
  be hired by a school district under Section 22.085; or
                           (ii)  included in the registry under Section
  22.092;
               (5)  for a higher education provider, demonstrates
  nationally recognized postsecondary accreditation; or
               (6)  notwithstanding Subdivision (2), for a private
  provider serving children in prekindergarten or kindergarten,
  demonstrates that the provider meets the requirements to be an
  eligible private provider under Section 29.171.
         (b-1)  The comptroller may approve a vendor of educational
  products that provides products or services described by Section
  29.359(a)(1)(C), (2), (4), (6), (8), or (9) for participation in
  the program in accordance with comptroller rule.
         (c)  The comptroller may approve only an education service
  provider located in this state or vendor of educational products
  registered to do business in this state.
         (d)  An education service provider or vendor of educational
  products shall provide information requested by the comptroller to
  verify the provider's or vendor's eligibility for preapproval under  
  this section.  The comptroller may not approve a provider or vendor
  if the comptroller cannot verify the provider's or vendor's
  eligibility for preapproval.
         (e)  Each applicant for approval under this section shall
  submit to the comptroller documentation demonstrating that each
  person employed by the applicant or provider who will interact with
  a participating child is not identified as having engaged in
  misconduct described by Section 22.093(c)(1)(A) or (B) using the
  interagency reportable conduct search engine established under
  Chapter 810, Health and Safety Code.
         (f)  The comptroller or the comptroller's designee shall
  review the documentation for each person described by Subsection
  (e).  Each applicant for approval under this section must provide
  the comptroller or the comptroller's designee with any information
  requested by the comptroller or designee to enable the comptroller
  or designee to complete the review.
         (g)  An education service provider or vendor of educational
  products must agree to:
               (1)  abide by the disbursement schedule under Section
  29.360(c) and all other requirements of this subchapter;
               (2)  accept money from the program only for
  education-related expenses approved under Section 29.359;
               (3)  notify the comptroller not later than the 30th day
  after the date that the provider or vendor no longer meets the
  requirements of this section; and
               (4)  return any money received, including any interest
  or other additions received related to the money, in violation of
  this subchapter or other relevant law to the comptroller for
  deposit into the program fund.
         (h)  An education service provider or vendor of educational
  products that receives approval under this section may participate
  in the program until the earliest of the date on which the provider
  or vendor:
               (1)  no longer meets the requirements under this
  section; or
               (2)  violates this subchapter or other relevant law.
         Sec. 29.3585.  PROVIDER AND VENDOR SUSPENSION AND REMOVAL.
  (a)  The comptroller shall immediately suspend a preapproved
  education service provider or vendor of educational products on
  finding that the provider or vendor:
               (1)  is ineligible under this subchapter for
  participation in the program; or
               (2)  has failed to remain in good standing by complying
  with a program requirement under this subchapter or other
  applicable law.
         (b)  A payment may not be made from a program participant's
  account to a suspended provider or vendor.
         (c)  On suspension under this section, the comptroller shall
  immediately send notice of the suspension to the suspended provider
  or vendor and each certified educational assistance organization by
  first class mail and e-mail.  The notice must include a statement
  that:
               (1)  specifies the grounds for suspending the provider
  or vendor;
               (2)  no additional payments may be made to the provider
  or vendor from a program participant's account during the
  provider's or vendor's suspension; and
               (3)  the provider or vendor has 30 days to respond and
  take any corrective action required to comply with program
  requirements and applicable law.
         (d)  Not later than the 30th day after the date the
  comptroller provides notice of suspension under Subsection (c), the
  comptroller shall:
               (1)  remove the provider or vendor from the program;
               (2)  conditionally reinstate the provider or vendor and
  require the provider or vendor to perform a specified action; or
               (3)  unconditionally reinstate the provider or vendor.
         (e)  On removing a provider or vendor from the program, the
  comptroller shall notify the provider or vendor and each certified
  educational assistance organization of the removal.
         Sec. 29.359.  APPROVED EDUCATION-RELATED EXPENSES.  (a)
  Subject to Subsection (b), a participating parent may request that
  program money be spent only for the following education-related
  expenses incurred by a participating child at a preapproved
  education service provider or vendor of educational products:
               (1)  tuition and fees for:
                     (A)  a private school;
                     (B)  a higher education provider;
                     (C)  an online educational course or program; or
                     (D)  a program that provides training for an
  industry-based credential approved by the agency;
               (2)  the purchase of textbooks or other instructional
  materials or uniforms required by a private school, higher
  education provider, or course in which the child is enrolled,
  including purchases made through a third-party vendor of
  educational products;
               (3)  fees for classes or other educational services
  provided by a school district or open-enrollment charter school if
  the classes or services do not qualify the child to be included in
  the school's average daily attendance;
               (4)  costs related to academic assessments;
               (5)  fees for services provided by a private tutor or
  teaching service;
               (6)  fees for transportation provided by a
  fee-for-service transportation provider for the child to travel to
  and from a preapproved education service provider or vendor of
  educational products;
               (7)  fees for educational therapies or services
  provided by a practitioner or provider, only for fees that are not
  covered by any federal, state, or local government benefits such as
  Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) or by
  any private insurance that the child is enrolled in at the time of
  receiving the therapies or services;
               (8)  costs of computer hardware or software and other
  technological devices required by an education service provider or
  vendor of educational products or prescribed by a physician to
  facilitate a child's education, not to exceed in any year 10 percent
  of the total amount transferred to the participating child's
  account that year; and
               (9)  costs of breakfast or lunch provided to a child
  during the school day by a private school.
         (b)  Money transferred under the program to a participating
  child's account may not be used to pay any person who is related to
  the program participant within the third degree by consanguinity or
  affinity, as determined under Chapter 573, Government Code.
         (c)  A finding that a program participant requested that
  program money be spent to pay for an expense not allowed under
  Subsection (a) does not affect the validity of any payment
  requested by the participant for an approved education-related
  expense that is allowed under that subsection.
         Sec. 29.360.  PROGRAM EXPENDITURES.  (a)  The comptroller
  shall disburse from the program fund to each certified educational
  assistance organization the amount specified under Section
  29.361(a) for each participating child served by the organization.
         (b)  To initiate payment to an education service provider or
  vendor of educational products for an education-related expense
  approved under Section 29.359, the participating parent must submit
  a request in a form prescribed by comptroller rule to the certified
  educational assistance organization that serves the child.
         (c)  Subject to Subsection (d) and Sections 29.362(f) and
  29.364, on receiving a request under Subsection (b), a certified
  educational assistance organization shall verify that the request
  is for an expense approved under Section 29.359 and, not later than
  the 10th business day after the date the organization verifies the
  request, send payment to the education service provider or vendor
  of educational products.
         (d)  A disbursement under this section may not exceed the
  applicable participating child's account balance.
         (e)  A certified educational assistance organization shall
  provide participating parents with electronic access to:
               (1)  view the participating child's current account
  balance;
               (2)  initiate the payment request process under
  Subsection (b); and
               (3)  view a summary of past account activity, including
  payments from the account to education service providers and
  vendors of educational products.
         (f)  A payment system established by a certified educational
  assistance organization may not allow a program participant to:
               (1)  withdraw cash or remove funds from a participating
  child's account; or
               (2)  receive payment or reimbursement directly from the
  program.
         (g)  A certified educational assistance organization may not
  require a program participant to pay a fee to the organization or an
  affiliate of the organization related to the use of a participating
  child's account, including a transaction fee.
         Sec. 29.361.  AMOUNT OF TRANSFER TO PARTICIPANT ACCOUNT;
  FINANCING.  (a)  Regardless of the deadline by which the
  participating parent applies for enrollment in the program under
  Section 29.356(a) and except as provided by Subsections (b), (b-1),
  and (d) of this section, a certified educational assistance
  organization shall transfer in accordance with Section 29.362 each
  school year that a participating child participates in the program
  money distributed to the organization from money available under
  Section 29.353 to the child's account to be held in trust for the
  benefit of the child in an amount equal to:
               (1)  85 percent of the estimated statewide average
  amount of state and local funding per student in average daily
  attendance for the most recent school year for which that
  information is available, as provided by the agency; or
               (2)  for a child with a disability, subject to
  Subsection (b), the sum of the amount described by Subdivision (1)
  and the amount the school district in which the child would
  otherwise be enrolled would be entitled to receive for the child
  calculated based on the child's individualized education program,
  as determined in accordance with Section 29.3615, and the
  provisions of Chapter 48 that provide funding based on a child's
  participation in a school district's special education program
  under Subchapter A applicable for the school year preceding the
  school year in which the child initially enrolls in the program.
         (b)  The amount transferred to the account of a child with a
  disability for a school year under Subsection (a)(2) may not exceed
  $30,000.
         (b-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a participating child
  who is a home-schooled student, as defined by Section 29.916(a)(1),
  may not receive transfers under the program to the child's account
  under Subsection (a) in an amount that exceeds $2,000 for a school
  year.
         (c)  In determining the estimated statewide average amount
  of state and local funding per student in average daily attendance
  for a school year under Subsection (a), the commissioner shall:
               (1)  make the determination not later than January 15
  preceding the school year; and
               (2)  include projected state and local funding under
  Chapters 48 and 49 and the amount the state is required to
  contribute to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas under Section
  825.404, Government Code, for the school year.
         (d)  If a child enrolls in the program after the beginning of
  a school year, the comptroller shall prorate the amount transferred
  to the participating child's account under Subsection (a) based on
  the date the child enrolls in the program.
         (e)  Any money remaining in a participating child's account
  at the end of a fiscal year is carried forward to the next fiscal
  year unless another provision of this subchapter mandates the
  closure of the account.
         (f)  A participating parent may make payments for the
  expenses of educational programs, services, and products not
  covered by money in the account of the parent's child.
         (g)  A transfer under Subsection (a) may not be funded using
  federal money or money from the available school fund or the state
  instructional materials and technology fund.
         (h)  Transfers to a participating child's account under this
  subchapter do not constitute taxable income to a participating
  parent, unless otherwise provided by federal or another state's
  law.
         (i)  On dates consistent with satisfying the application
  deadlines established under Section 29.356(a), the agency shall
  calculate and report to the comptroller the amount specified under
  Subsection (a) for each participating child.
         Sec. 29.3611.  ENROLLMENT IN PUBLIC SCHOOL.  If a child
  ceases participation in the program during a school year due to the
  child's enrollment in a school district or open-enrollment charter
  school:
               (1)  the district or school is entitled to receive, in
  addition to other funding to which the district or school is
  entitled to receive for the child, an allotment in an amount equal
  to the basic allotment multiplied by 0.1 for the child's average
  daily attendance at the district or school for that school year; and
               (2)  the child may not be considered in evaluating the
  performance of a school district or open-enrollment charter school
  under the public school accountability system as prescribed by
  Chapters 39 and 39A for the first school year after the child ceases
  participation in the program.
         Sec. 29.3615.  INDIVIDUALIZED EDUCATION PROGRAMS;
  EVALUATIONS.  (a)  The parent of a child who is not enrolled in a
  school district or open-enrollment charter school may request that
  a school district conduct a full individual and initial evaluation
  of the child for purposes of determining the child's eligibility
  for:
               (1)  special education services under Subchapter A; and
               (2)  participation in the program as a child with a
  disability.
         (b)  A school district that receives a request under this
  section shall follow procedures, including for timely completion,
  for a full individual and initial evaluation in accordance with 20
  U.S.C. Sections 1412(a)(10)(A)(ii) and 1414 and Section 29.004 of
  this code not later than the 45th school day after the date the
  district receives parental consent to conduct the evaluation.
         (c)  If a school district determines based on an evaluation
  conducted under Subsection (b) that a child is eligible for special
  education services, the district shall develop an individualized
  education program for the child for purposes of establishing the
  child's eligibility to participate in the program as a child with a
  disability.
         (d)  At the agency's request, a school district or
  open-enrollment charter school shall provide to the agency a
  child's individualized education program developed under Section
  29.005 or Subsection (c) of this section, as applicable.
         (e)  The agency may adopt rules as necessary to implement
  this section, including rules regarding an appeal of a
  determination of eligibility for special education services and
  services to be provided as described in an individualized education
  program developed in accordance with this section.
         Sec. 29.362.  ADMINISTRATION OF ACCOUNTS.  (a)  On receipt
  of money distributed by the comptroller for purposes of making
  transfers to the accounts of participating children, a certified
  educational assistance organization shall hold that money in trust
  for the benefit of children participating in the program and make
  transfers to the account of each participating child served by the
  organization as follows:
               (1)  not later than July 1, at least one-quarter of the
  total annual amount;
               (2)  not later than October 1, one-half of the total
  annual amount; and
               (3)  not later than April 1, the total remaining amount
  after the transfers under Subdivisions (1) and (2).
         (b)  Each year, the comptroller may deduct from the total
  amount of money appropriated for purposes of this subchapter an
  amount, not to exceed three percent of that total amount, to cover
  the comptroller's cost of administering the program.
         (c)  The comptroller may disburse each state fiscal year a
  total amount, not to exceed five percent of the amount of money
  appropriated for purposes of the program for that state fiscal
  year, to the certified educational assistance organizations for the
  cost of providing services under this subchapter.
         (d)  On or before the first day of October and February, a
  certified educational assistance organization shall:
               (1)  verify with the agency that each participating
  child is not enrolled in a school district or open-enrollment
  charter school in a manner in which the child is counted toward the
  district's or school's average daily attendance for purposes of the
  allocation of state funding under the Foundation School Program;
  and
               (2)  notify the comptroller if the organization
  determines that a participating child is:
                     (A)  enrolled in a school district or
  open-enrollment charter school in a manner in which the child is
  counted toward the district's or school's average daily attendance
  for purposes of the allocation of state funding under the
  Foundation School Program; or
                     (B)  not enrolled in a preapproved private school.
         (e)  The comptroller by rule shall establish a process by
  which a participating parent may authorize the comptroller or a
  certified educational assistance organization to make a payment
  directly from the participant's account to a preapproved education
  service provider or vendor of educational products for an expense
  allowed under Section 29.359.
         (f)  On the date on which a child who participated in the
  program is no longer eligible to participate in the program under
  Section 29.355 and payments for any education-related expenses
  allowed under Section 29.359 from the child's account have been
  completed, the participating child's account shall be closed and
  any remaining money returned to the comptroller for deposit in the
  program fund.
         (g)  Each quarter, any interest or other earnings
  attributable to money held by a certified educational assistance
  organization for purposes of the program shall be remitted to the
  comptroller for deposit in the program fund.
         Sec. 29.363.  AUDITING.  (a)  The comptroller shall contract
  with a private entity to audit accounts and program participant
  eligibility data not less than once per year to ensure compliance
  with applicable law and program requirements.  The audit must
  include a review of:
               (1)  each certified educational assistance
  organization's internal controls over program transactions; and
               (2)  compliance by:
                     (A)  certified educational assistance
  organizations with Section 29.354 and other program requirements;
                     (B)  program participants with Section 29.357(a)
  and other program requirements; and
                     (C)  education service providers and vendors of
  educational products with Section 29.358 and other program
  requirements.
         (b)  In conducting an audit, the private entity may require a
  program participant, education service provider or vendor of
  educational products, or certified educational assistance
  organization to provide information and documentation regarding
  any transaction occurring under the program.
         (c)  The private entity shall report to the comptroller any
  violation of this subchapter or other relevant law and any
  transactions the entity determines to be unusual or suspicious
  found by the entity during an audit conducted under this section.  
  The comptroller shall report the violation or transaction to:
               (1)  the applicable certified educational assistance
  organization;
               (2)  the education service provider or vendor of
  educational products, as applicable; and
               (3)  each participating parent who is affected by the
  violation or transaction.
         (d)  The state auditor shall audit each certified
  educational assistance organization's compliance with the
  organization's duties to verify a child's eligibility to
  participate in the program under Section 29.355 and verify that a
  request for payment is for an approved expense under Section
  29.360(c).  Each organization shall submit to the state auditor
  documentation of:
               (1)  each item of residency documentation described by
  Section 29.355(a-1) reviewed by the organization;
               (2)  each preapproved education-related expense
  category reviewed by the organization under Section 29.360(c);
               (3)  the number of transactions approved by the
  organization; and
               (4)  the number of transactions denied by the
  organization.
         (e)  The state auditor may review and analyze individual
  transactions approved by a certified educational assistance
  organization.
         (f)  The state auditor shall randomly select 10 percent of
  program applications on which to perform an eligibility
  verification audit.
         (g)  Each education service provider shall provide to the
  state auditor proof of a third-party audit or financial review
  consistent with the provider's accreditation commission standards.
         Sec. 29.364.  SUSPENSION OF ACCOUNT.  (a)  The comptroller
  shall suspend the account of a participating child who fails to
  remain in good standing by complying with applicable law or a
  requirement of the program.
         (b)  On suspension of an account under Subsection (a), the
  comptroller shall notify the participating parent in writing that
  the account has been suspended and that no additional payments may
  be made from the account.  The notification must specify the grounds
  for the suspension and state that the participating parent has 30
  days to respond and take any corrective action required by the
  comptroller.
         (c)  On the expiration of the 30-day period under Subsection
  (b), the comptroller shall:
               (1)  order closure of the suspended account;
               (2)  order temporary reinstatement of the account,
  conditioned on the performance of a specified action by the
  participating parent; or
               (3)  order full reinstatement of the account.
         (d)  The comptroller may recover money distributed under the
  program that was used for expenses not allowed under Section
  29.359, for a child who was not eligible to participate in the
  program at the time of the expenditure, or from an education service
  provider or vendor of educational products that was not approved at
  the time of the expenditure.  The money and any interest or other
  additions received related to the money may be recovered from the
  participating parent or the education service provider or vendor of
  educational products that received the money in accordance with
  applicable law if the participating child's account is suspended or
  closed under this section.  The comptroller shall deposit money
  recovered under this subsection into the program fund.
         Sec. 29.365.  TUITION AND FEES; REFUND PROHIBITED.  (a)  An
  education service provider or vendor of educational products may
  not charge a participating child an amount greater than the
  standard amount charged for that service or product by the provider
  or vendor.
         (b)  An education service provider or vendor of educational
  products receiving money distributed under the program may not in
  any manner rebate, refund, or credit to or share with a program
  participant, or any person on behalf of a participant, any program
  money paid or owed by the participant to the provider or vendor.
         Sec. 29.366.  REFERRAL TO DISTRICT ATTORNEY.  If the
  comptroller obtains evidence of fraudulent use of an account or
  money distributed under the program or any other violation of law by
  a certified educational assistance organization, education service
  provider or vendor of educational products, or program participant,
  the comptroller shall notify the appropriate local county or
  district attorney with jurisdiction over, as applicable:
               (1)  the principal place of business of the
  organization or provider or vendor; or
               (2)  the residence of the program participant.
         Sec. 29.367.  SPECIAL EDUCATION NOTICE.  (a)  A certified
  educational assistance organization shall post on the Internet
  website established and maintained for the program and provide to
  each parent who submits an application for the program a notice
  that:
               (1)  states that a private school is not subject to
  federal and state laws regarding the provision of educational
  services to a child with a disability in the same manner as a school
  district or open-enrollment charter school; and
               (2)  provides information regarding rights to which a
  child with a disability is entitled under federal and state law if
  the child attends a school district or open-enrollment charter
  school, including:
                     (A)  rights provided under the Individuals with
  Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Section 1400 et seq.); and
                     (B)  rights provided under Subchapter A.
         (b)  A private school in which a child with a disability who
  is a participating child enrolls shall provide to the participating
  parent a copy of the notice required under Subsection (a).
         Sec. 29.368.  PROGRAM PARTICIPANT, PROVIDER, AND VENDOR
  AUTONOMY.  (a)  An education service provider or vendor of
  educational products that receives money distributed under the
  program is not a recipient of federal financial assistance and may
  not be considered to be a state actor on the basis of receiving that
  money.
         (b)  A state agency or state official may not adopt a rule or
  take other governmental action related to the program and a
  certified educational assistance organization may not take action
  that:
               (1)  limits or imposes requirements that are contrary
  to the religious or institutional values or practices of an
  education service provider, vendor of educational products, or
  program participant; or
               (2)  limits an education service provider, vendor of
  educational products, or program participant from freely:
                     (A)  determining the methods or curriculum to
  educate students;
                     (B)  determining admissions and enrollment
  practices, policies, and standards;
                     (C)  modifying or refusing to modify the
  provider's, vendor's, or participant's religious or institutional
  values or practices, operations, conduct, policies, standards,
  assessments, or employment practices based on the provider's,
  vendor's, or participant's religious values or practices; or
                     (D)  exercising the provider's, vendor's, or
  participant's religious or institutional practices as the
  provider, vendor, or participant determines.
         Sec. 29.369.  STUDENT RECORDS AND INFORMATION.  (a)  On
  request by the participating parent or parent of a child seeking to
  participate in the program, the school district or open-enrollment
  charter school that the child would otherwise attend shall provide
  a copy of the child's school records possessed by the district or
  school, if any, to the child's parent or, if applicable, the private
  school the child attends.
         (b)  As necessary to verify a child's eligibility for the
  program, the agency, a school district, or an open-enrollment
  charter school shall provide to a certified educational assistance
  organization any information available to the agency, district, or
  school requested by the organization regarding a child who
  participates or seeks to participate in the program, including
  information regarding the child's school district or
  open-enrollment charter school enrollment status and whether the
  child can be counted toward a school district's or open-enrollment
  charter school's average daily attendance for purposes of the
  allocation of funding under the Foundation School Program.  The
  organization may not retain information provided under this
  subsection beyond the period necessary to determine a child's
  eligibility to participate in the program.
         (c)  A certified educational assistance organization or an
  education service provider or vendor of educational products that
  obtains information regarding a participating child:
               (1)  shall comply with state and federal law regarding
  the confidentiality of student educational information; and
               (2)  may not:
                     (A)  sell information regarding a participating
  child; or
                     (B)  distribute information regarding a
  participating child in a manner not described by Paragraph (A)
  without the program participant's consent.
         (d)  A student record held by the comptroller or a certified
  educational assistance organization is confidential and not
  subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code.  The
  comptroller or a certified educational assistance organization may
  redact information that constitutes student records from any
  information the governmental body discloses under Section 552.021,
  Government Code, without the necessity of requesting a decision
  from the attorney general under Subchapter G, Chapter 552,
  Government Code.
         Sec. 29.370.  GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS.  The comptroller
  may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public
  or private source for any expenses related to the administration of
  the program, including establishing the program and contracting for
  the report required under Section 29.371.
         Sec. 29.371.  ANNUAL REPORT.  (a)  The comptroller, in
  collaboration with the agency and the certified educational
  assistance organizations, shall compile program data and produce an
  annual longitudinal report regarding:
               (1)  the number of program applications received,
  accepted, and wait-listed, disaggregated by age;
               (2)  program participant satisfaction;
               (3)  the results of assessment instruments shared in
  accordance with Section 29.357(a)(2);
               (4)  the effect of the program on public and private
  school capacity and availability;
               (5)  the amount of cost savings accruing to the state as
  a result of the program;
               (6)  in a report submitted in an even-numbered year
  only, an estimate of the total amount of funding required for the
  program for the next state fiscal biennium;
               (7)  the amount of gifts, grants, and donations
  received under Section 29.370;
               (8)  based on surveys of former program participants or
  other sources available to an organization, the number and
  percentage of children participating in the program who, within one
  year after graduating from high school, are:
                     (A)  college ready, as indicated by earning a
  minimum of 12 non-remedial semester credit hours or the equivalent
  or an associate degree from a postsecondary educational
  institution;
                     (B)  career ready, as indicated by:
                           (i)  earning a credential of value included
  in a library of credentials established under Section 2308A.007,
  Government Code; or
                           (ii)  employment at or above the median wage
  in the child's region; or
                     (C)  military ready, as indicated by achieving a
  passing score set by the applicable military branch on the Armed
  Services Vocational Aptitude Battery and enlisting in the armed
  forces of the United States or the Texas National Guard; and
               (9)  the dropout rate, expulsion rate, and graduation
  rate of participating children who are children with a disability,
  both aggregated and disaggregated by the child's:
                     (A)  grade level;
                     (B)  age;
                     (C)  sex;
                     (D)  race or ethnicity; and
                     (E)  category under Section 29.356(b).
         (b)  In producing the report, the comptroller shall:
               (1)  use appropriate analytical and behavioral science
  methodologies to ensure public confidence in the report; and
               (2)  comply with the requirements regarding the
  confidentiality of student educational information under the
  Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (20 U.S.C.
  Section 1232g).
         (c)  The report must cover a period of not less than five
  years and include, subject to Subsection (b)(2), the data analyzed
  and methodology used.
         (d)  The comptroller shall provide the report for posting on
  the Internet website established and maintained for the program.
         (e)  The comptroller shall provide the report, including
  assessment data, to the commissioner.
         (f)  The state auditor shall review and verify the validity
  of the contents of the comptroller's annual report required under
  this section.  If the state auditor finds any discrepancies in the
  report, the state auditor may collect the data necessary to verify
  and audit the data from the comptroller, the applicable certified
  educational assistance organizations, and the applicable education
  service providers and vendors of educational products.
         Sec. 29.3715.  COLLECTION AND REPORTING OF DEMOGRAPHIC
  INFORMATION.  (a)  The comptroller, in collaboration with the
  agency and the certified educational assistance organizations,
  shall collect and report demographic information regarding each
  participating child.  The report must include the following
  demographic information:
               (1)  the child's grade;
               (2)  the child's age;
               (3)  the child's sex;
               (4)  the child's race or ethnicity;
               (5)  the school district in which the child resides;
               (6)  the district campus that the child would otherwise
  attend;
               (7)  the child's zip code;
               (8)  the child's date of enrollment in the program;
               (9)  the child's category under Section 29.356(b); and
               (10)  whether the child has a disability.
         (b)  Not later than August 1 of each year, the comptroller
  shall submit a written report to the legislature summarizing the
  demographic information collected under this section.
         Sec. 29.372.  RULES; PROCEDURES.  The comptroller shall
  adopt rules and procedures as necessary to implement, administer,
  and enforce this subchapter.
         Sec. 29.373.  APPEAL; FINALITY OF DECISIONS.  (a)  A program
  participant may appeal to the comptroller an administrative
  decision made by the comptroller or a certified educational
  assistance organization under this subchapter, including a
  decision regarding eligibility, allowable expenses, or the
  participant's removal from the program.
         (b)  An appeal under this subchapter does not constitute a
  contested case for any purpose.
         (c)  This subchapter may not be construed to confer a
  property right on a certified educational assistance organization,
  education service provider, vendor of educational products, or
  program participant.
         (d)  A decision of the comptroller made under this subchapter
  is final and not subject to appeal.
         Sec. 29.374.  RIGHT TO INTERVENE IN CIVIL ACTION.  (a)  A
  program participant, eligible child, education service provider,
  or vendor of educational products may intervene in any civil action
  challenging the constitutionality of the program.
         (b)  A court in which a civil action described by Subsection
  (a) is filed may require that all program participants, eligible
  children, education service providers, and vendors of educational
  products wishing to intervene in the action file a joint brief.  A
  program participant, eligible child, education service provider,
  or vendor of educational products may not be required to join a
  brief filed on behalf of the state or a state agency.
         SECTION 3.  Section 22.092(d), Education Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  The agency shall provide equivalent access to the
  registry maintained under this section to:
               (1)  private schools;
               (2)  public schools; [and]
               (3)  nonprofit teacher organizations approved by the
  commissioner for the purpose of participating in the tutoring
  program established under Section 33.913; and
               (4)  the comptroller for the purpose of preapproving
  education service providers and vendors of educational products
  under Section 29.358 for participation in the program established
  under Subchapter J, Chapter 29.
         SECTION 4.  Section 411.109, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (b-1) and amending Subsection (c) to read as
  follows:
         (b-1)  The comptroller is entitled to obtain criminal
  history record information as provided by Subsection (c) about a
  person who is an employee of an education service provider or vendor
  of educational products who intends to provide educational services
  to a child participating in the program established under
  Subchapter J, Chapter 29, Education Code, and is seeking approval
  to receive money distributed under that program.
         (c)  Subject to Section 411.087 and consistent with the
  public policy of this state, the comptroller is entitled to:
               (1)  obtain through the Federal Bureau of Investigation
  criminal history record information maintained or indexed by that
  bureau that pertains to a person described by Subsection (a), [or]
  (b), or (b-1); and
               (2)  obtain from the department or any other criminal
  justice agency in this state criminal history record information
  maintained by the department or that criminal justice agency that
  relates to a person described by Subsection (a), [or] (b), or (b-1).
         SECTION 5.  Section 810.002, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 810.002.  APPLICABILITY.  This chapter applies to the
  following state agencies:
               (1)  the Department of Family and Protective Services;
               (2)  the Health and Human Services Commission;
               (3)  the Texas Education Agency; [and]
               (4)  the Texas Juvenile Justice Department; and
               (5)  the comptroller of public accounts.
         SECTION 6.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
  section, Subchapter J, Chapter 29, Education Code, as added by this
  Act, applies beginning with the 2026-2027 school year.
         (b)  Section 29.3521(c), Education Code, as added by this
  Act, applies beginning with the state fiscal biennium beginning
  September 1, 2027.
         SECTION 7.  (a)  Not later than May 15, 2026, the comptroller
  of public accounts shall adopt rules as provided by Sections
  29.356(d) and 29.372, Education Code, as added by this Act.
         (b)  The comptroller of public accounts may identify rules
  required by the passage of Subchapter J, Chapter 29, Education
  Code, as added by this Act, that must be adopted on an emergency
  basis for purposes of the 2026-2027 school year and may use the
  procedures established under Section 2001.034, Government Code,
  for adopting those rules.  The comptroller of public accounts is not
  required to make the finding described by Section 2001.034(a),
  Government Code, to adopt emergency rules under this subsection.
         SECTION 8.  (a)  The constitutionality and other validity
  under the state or federal constitution of all or any part of
  Subchapter J, Chapter 29, Education Code, as added by this Act, may
  be determined in an action for declaratory judgment under Chapter
  37, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, in a district court in the
  county in which the violation is alleged to have occurred or where
  the plaintiff resides or has its principal place of business.
         (b)  An order, however characterized, of a trial court
  granting or denying a temporary or otherwise interlocutory
  injunction or a permanent injunction on the grounds of the
  constitutionality or unconstitutionality, or other validity or
  invalidity, under the state or federal constitution of all or any
  part of Subchapter J, Chapter 29, Education Code, as added by this
  Act, may be reviewed only by direct appeal to the Texas Supreme
  Court filed not later than the 15th business day after the date on
  which the order was entered.  The Texas Supreme Court shall give
  precedence to appeals under this section over other matters.
         (c)  The direct appeal is an accelerated appeal.
         (d)  This section exercises the authority granted by Section
  3-b, Article V, Texas Constitution.
         (e)  The filing of a direct appeal under this section will
  automatically stay any temporary or otherwise interlocutory
  injunction or permanent injunction granted in accordance with this
  section pending final determination by the Texas Supreme Court,
  unless the supreme court makes specific findings that the applicant
  seeking such injunctive relief has pleaded and proved that:
               (1)  the applicant has a probable right to the relief it
  seeks on final hearing;
               (2)  the applicant will suffer a probable injury that
  is imminent and irreparable, and that the applicant has no other
  adequate legal remedy; and
               (3)  maintaining the injunction is in the public
  interest.
         (f)  An appeal under this section, including an
  interlocutory, accelerated, or direct appeal, is governed, as
  applicable, by the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, including
  Rules 25.1(d)(6), 28.1, 32.1, 37.3(a)(1), 38.6(a) and (b), 40.1(b),
  and 49.4.
         (g)  This section does not authorize an award of attorney's
  fees against this state, and Section 37.009, Civil Practice and
  Remedies Code, does not apply to an action filed under this section.
         (h)  The attorney general shall represent the state in any
  legal action brought that challenges the constitutionality or
  validity of all or any part of Subchapter J, Chapter 29, Education
  Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 9.  It is the intent of the legislature that every
  provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word
  in this Act, and every application of the provisions in this Act to
  each person or entity, is severable from each other.  If any
  application of any provision in this Act to any person, group of
  persons, or circumstances is found by a court to be invalid for any
  reason:
               (1)  the remaining applications of that provision to
  all other persons and circumstances shall be severed and may not be
  affected; and
               (2)  the court must allow continued operation of the
  program without regard for the severed provision rather than
  restrict program operation or participation.
         SECTION 10.  This Act takes effect immediately if it
  receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
  house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.
  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
  effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
  ______________________________
  ______________________________
     President of the Senate
  Speaker of the House     
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2 passed the Senate on
  February 5, 2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 19, Nays 12; and
  that the Senate concurred in House amendments on April 24, 2025, by
  the following vote:  Yeas 19, Nays 12.
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2 passed the House, with
  amendments, on April 17, 2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 86,
  Nays 61.
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
  Approved:
  ______________________________ 
              Date
  ______________________________ 
            Governor