appropriation; ESA administration

Plain English Breakdown

While the bill expresses an intention for ongoing funding, there is no guarantee or specific plan outlined beyond fiscal year 2027.

Funding for Arizona ESA Program

HB2499 provides $2,600,000 and 12 full-time positions from the state General Fund to the Department of Education to manage the Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account program in fiscal year 2027.

What This Bill Does

• Gives $2,600,000 from state money to help run the ESA program.
• Adds 12 new jobs for people who will work on the ESA program at the Department of Education.

Who It Names or Affects

• Students who can use ESAs to pay for school expenses like tuition, books, and materials.
• Parents or guardians of students using ESAs.

Terms To Know

ESA

Empowerment Scholarship Account - a program where families can use state money to pay for private school tuition or other educational expenses.

FTE

Full Time Equivalent - the number of full-time jobs created by this funding.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much money will be in each ESA account.
• It is unclear if and when the funding will continue beyond fiscal year 2027, despite legislative intent for ongoing support.

Official Summary Text

HB2499 - 572R - House Bill Summary

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th
Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

House:
APPROP DP 11-7-0-0

HB
2499
: appropriation; ESA administration

Sponsor:
Representative Gress, LD 4

House
Engrossed

Overview

Appropriates
$2,600,000 and 12 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) positions from the state General
Fund (GF) in FY 2027 to the Department of Education (ADE) to administer the
Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program.

History

A qualified
student with an ESA may use ESA monies for permissible expenses, including: 1)
qualifying tuition or fees; 2) textbooks, curricula and supplementary
materials; and 3) outlined goods and services. Statute prescribes specified
categories of qualified students who are eligible for an ESA. In 2022, the
Legislature expanded eligibility to include a universal category for any
Arizona resident who: 1) is eligible to enroll in an Arizona public school; and
2) does not otherwise qualify for an ESA account. ESAs are funded at 90 percent
of the Base Support Level and charter additional assistance that a student
would have been allocated if the student were attending a charter school
(A.R.S. ��
15-2401
;
15-2401.01
; and
15-2402
).

The Arizona State
Board of Education (SBE) is charged with the appeals process for ADE's ESA
administrative decisions. The SBE annually approves the ESA Parent Handbook and
processes ESA appeals of ADE administrative decisions (
AZ SBE
).

Provisions

1.

Appropriates
$2,600,000 and 12 FTE positions from the state GF in FY 2027 to ADE to
administer the ESA program.

2.

3.

4.

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FOOTER ---------

5.

Initials DS/JA����������������� HB
2499

6.

3/5/2026��� Page 0 House
Engrossed

7.

8.

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FOOTER ---------

Current Bill Text

HB2499 - 572R - H Ver

House Engrossed

appropriation; ESA
administration

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2499

AN
ACT

Appropriating monies to the department of
education.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.
Appropriation;
department of education; administration; Arizona empowerment scholarship
account program; intent

A. The sum of $2,600,000
and 12 FTE positions are appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal
year 2026-2027 to the department of education to administer the Arizona
empowerment scholarship account program established by section 15-2402,
Arizona Revised Statutes.

B. The legislature intends
that the appropriation made in subsection A of this section be considered
ongoing funding in future years.