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House passes Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship after debate and failed amendments
Summary
House Bill 249 creates a Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship for students with IEPs to use at qualified private schools, funded from the general fund with a requested appropriation of $1.4 million; the bill passed 58-17 after debate over eligibility, safeguards and geographic equity.
The Utah House passed House Bill 249, the Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship, which would provide state-funded scholarships for public-school students with individualized education programs (IEPs) to attend qualified private schools.
Sponsor Representative Merlyn Newbold told members the measure is patterned after a similar scholarship and stressed safeguards incorporated since previous sessions, including disclosure requirements for parents, background checks for private-school employees working with scholarship students and a random selection…
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