Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023
Is there a proposal to spend Nevada’s surplus on private school vouchers?
Education Freedom for Nevada, a political action committee, proposed a constitutional amendment to allow parents to access state funds to pay for private school tuition by establishing education freedom accounts.
In a decision issued in September 2022, the Nevada Supreme Court upheld a district court’s order to invalidate the statutory ballot initiative because it did not include any funding provisions.
Article 19, Section 6 of the Nevada Constitution “does not permit the proposal of any statute or statutory amendment which makes an appropriation or otherwise requires the expenditure of money, unless such statute or amendment also imposes a sufficient tax, not prohibited by the Constitution, or otherwise constitutionally provides for raising the necessary revenue.”
More recently, Gov. Joe Lombardo said he will expand school choice, including increasing funding of Opportunity Scholarships, a tax credit-funded program for certain students at private K-12 institutions.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Nevada Secretary of State The initiative will provide parents with the ability to use funds appropriated by the Legislature to pay for the education of their child in a school or educational environment that is not a part of the public school system.
- AP News Judge rejects petition for Nevada school voucher initiative
- Nevada Independent Nevada Supreme Court rules against ballot initiative to create a voucher-style education program
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