Note: Feb. 1, 2022: “They” are in hurry up mode. HB 999 passed out of House Education committee today on a voice vote. A very similar bill, HB 60 passed out of full committee today too. Number of committee members who asked about benefits going to illegal aliens? Zero.
* How’s this for speedy service? HB 999 House hopper Jan. 25. Voted out of subcommittee Feb 1 – that’s four session days.
State payments (grants/cash allowance/state grant or loan) to illegal alien students handled by illegal alien parents with official oversight on compliance by illegal alien parents – what could go wrong?
Georgia is home to more illegals than Arizona.
Update again, Jan. 28 2022, 1:30 PM : Erick Erickson just promoted HB 999 on his national radio show. Listen here. I was allowed on the air for 56 seconds and made the point that the bill won’t fly for many people here and he should consider explaining the reality of payments to illegals in his next pitch for the bill. He hung up, but kept on topic for another few minutes. Listen here.
Update: Jan 28, 2022, 7:50 AM : Radio show host Erick Erickson is on WSB Radio during this morning’s drive time news segment promoting HB 999.” Three Democrats on the bill!” “A bipartisian coalition!” “Sponsor is a preacher!” “First time ever in Georgia!” He is also advancing the cause of this “school choice” legislation on his Twitter feed. Don’t miss it!
—
- Related: Breitbart News has taken note of this and other Georgia bills with a January 30, 2022 news story.
“The Georgia Educational Freedom Act”
HB 999 – as introduced
LC 49 0739 <–
Sponsors: Rep Wes Cantrell (R) of the 22nd, Mike Glanton (D) of the 75th, Angela Moore (D) of the 90th, Heath Clark (R) of the 147th, Patty Bentley (D) of the 139th, Kasey Carpenter (R) of the 4th and others (names of “others” coming soon).
______
We see no requirement for student recipients or parents to prove legal immigration status. We don’t see mention of any immigration verification system or check.
Note: The 1982 Plyler v Doe SCOTUS decision mandates states to provide K-12 public education regardless of immigration status. It does not address creation of a special or alternative K-12 system or scholarships.
Reminder to all concerned on amendments to this train wreck: Plyler V Doe prohibits even asking K-12 students about immigration status and that restriction applies to the student’s parents.
______
Executive version at first reading Jan. 27, 2022 1:00 PM (not final analysis):
* Creates state law to provide $6000 per school year “Promise Scholarship” for an alternative to public K-12 school for any student who has a parent, guardian or custodian who lives in Georgia. This would apparently include illegal alien students and/or parents.
* The student must have attended a Georgia public school for six weeks prior to participation in the new taxpayer-funded ‘Promise Scholarship.’ This would apparently include illegal aliens.
* The new “Promise Scholarship” would be funded by the state taxpayers and subject to appropriations. The legislation authorizes the Georgia Student Finance Commission to participate in the new scholarship account program.
* Quarterly payments would be made to an account set up for the student and then parents are designated to handle payment to the alternative schools. This would apparently include illegal aliens.
* A “participating student shall continue to be eligible to receive account funds until the student returns to a public school, graduates from high school, or reaches the age of 20 years, or for special education students, reaches the age of 21 years.” This would apparently include illegal aliens.
* Funds paid shall not constitute taxable income of the parent of the participating student. This would apparently include illegal aliens.
* Establishes an executive director who would appoint a review committee made up of eight parents to monitor compliance in administering the state-provided funds. These review committee parents apparently could be illegal aliens.
* Creates a lottery process governed by chance to award funding to students if either the number of participating students or the number of applications for accounts exceeds the funds available for the new scholarship. This lottery would apparently include illegal aliens.
* “Student information shall be reported and collected in a manner that allows the state to aggregate data by grade level, gender, family income level, and race.” This aggregated data would not include immigration status.
- Related: More from Republican Reps Wes Cantrell and Kasey Carpenter.
HB 999: Covered “qualified education expenses’ means any one or more of the following:
(A) Tuition, fees, and required textbooks at a participating school;
(B) Tuition, fees, and required textbooks at a community college or accredited postsecondary institution;
(C) Tutoring services provided by an educator certified by the Professional Standards Commission;
(D) Payment for the purchase of a curriculum, including any supplemental materials required by the curriculum;
(E) Tuition and fees for a nonpublic online learning program or course;
(F) Services from a physician or therapist licensed pursuant to Chapter 10A, 28, 33, 34, or 44 of Title 43, including, but not limited to, for occupational, behavioral, physical, or speech-language therapies;
(G) No more than $500.00 per year to a fee-for-service transportation provider for transportation to or from a participating school or service provider;
(H) Fees for the management of account funds in accordance with subsection (e) of Code Section 20-2B-7; or
(I) Computer hardware or other technological devices approved by the commission or a physician if the computer hardware or other technological device is used to meet the student’s educational needs.”
