Bill Description: House Bill 622 would reduce both the fee for an IDLA course and tighten eligibility requirements significantly.

Rating: +1

Does it increase government spending (for objectionable purposes) or debt? Conversely, does it decrease government spending or debt?

According to the statement of purpose, this bill would reduce “the estimated IDLA appropriation from FY 27 and going forward by a total of more than $8,959,202.” This is in line with the governor’s initiative to reduce IDLA appropriations by approximately $10 million.

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Does it expand the government's bureaucratic monopoly on education, reduce family and student choice, or finance education based on an institution or system? Conversely, does it reduce government coercion in education, expand education choice, or finance education based on the student rather than the institution?

The proposed legislation would significantly tighten requirements on the IDLA program, leading to a reduction in its size. New requirements include that the student be enrolled in a school that is not entirely virtual, be in grades six through twelve, the course not be a driver’s education course, among others. This is intended to address loopholes in the program which have allowed for significant abuse of this program.

While it tightens requirements to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse it also reduces school choice for families. The IDLA has serious issues, and those funds currently appropriated to it are better directed towards funding school choice, where free market incentives are certain to produce higher quality virtual and offline education, free from government interference. 

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