ESA program; performance review; termination

SB 1137 sets July 1, 2033, as the termination date for Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) program, which provides state-funded scholarships for private school tuition and educational expenses. The bill mandates a comprehensive program review and performance audit to be completed by October 1, 2032, assessing the program's effectiveness, management efficiency, and whether it meets its original goals. This review includes a draft report for the administering department to comment on, a public hearing, and an audit of program outcomes by the state auditor. The legislature must pass and the governor must sign a continuation bill before July 1, 2033, for the program to continue; otherwise, it ends on that date. The law governing the program will be repealed after December 31, 2033.