ESAs; qualified schools; requirements; reporting

SB 1596 updates Arizona's fingerprinting requirements for school personnel and modifies the Arizona empowerment scholarship account (ESA) program. The bill requires identity-verified fingerprints for teachers, student teachers, and tutors to obtain a fingerprint clearance card, with digital storage to eliminate re-fingerprinting for renewals. For ESAs, it mandates that parents sign an agreement not to enroll their child in public schools and to use funds for core subjects like reading, math, and science. This bill directly affects school staff seeking certification and families using ESA scholarships.