HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION D


     January 8, 1997, Introduced by Reps. Jaye, Goschka, Lowe, Llewellyn, Horton, Whyman, Raczkowski and Cropsey and referred to the Committee on Education.


        A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the state con-

   stitution of 1963, by amending section 2 of article VIII, to

   allow direct or indirect state financial aid to nonpublic

   schools.

        Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the

   state of Michigan, That the following amendment to the state con-

   stitution of 1963, to allow direct or indirect state financial

   aid to nonpublic schools, is proposed, agreed to, and submitted

   to the people of the state:

 1                               ARTICLE VIII

 2         Sec. 2.  The legislature shall maintain and support a system

 3    of free public elementary and secondary schools as defined by

 4    law.  Every school district shall provide for the education of

 5    its pupils without discrimination as to religion, creed, race,

 6    color or national origin.


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 1          No public monies or property shall be appropriated or paid

 2     or any public credit utilized, by the legislature or any other

 3     political subdivision or agency of the state directly or indi-

 4     rectly to aid or maintain any private, denominational or other

 5     nonpublic, pre-elementary, elementary, or secondary school.  No

 6     payment, credit, tax benefit, exemption or deductions, tuition

 7     voucher, subsidy, grant or loan of public monies or property

 8     shall be provided, directly or indirectly, to support the

 9     attendance of any student or the employment of any person at any

10     such nonpublic school or at any location or institution where

11     instruction is offered in whole or in part to such nonpublic

12     school students.  The legislature may provide for the transporta-

13     tion of students to and from any school. 

14         FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINNING IN 1999 AND FOR ALL SUCCEEDING

15    SCHOOL YEARS, THE LEGISLATURE SHALL PROVIDE BY LAW FOR A VOUCHER

16    SYSTEM TO SUPPORT THE ATTENDANCE OF PUPILS IN NONPUBLIC ELEMEN-

17    TARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS OR SHALL PROVIDE BY LAW FOR A CREDIT

18    AGAINST STATE INCOME TAXES FOR TUITION PAID BY A PARENT OR LEGAL

19    GUARDIAN OF A PUPIL ATTENDING A NONPUBLIC ELEMENTARY OR SECONDARY

20    SCHOOL, OR SHALL PROVIDE BY LAW FOR BOTH.  THE AMOUNT PAID TO A

21    NONPUBLIC SCHOOL FOR EACH PUPIL ATTENDING THE NONPUBLIC SCHOOL

22    UNDER A VOUCHER SYSTEM CREATED PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL

23    BE AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE STATEWIDE AVERAGE AMOUNT PAID TO A

24    PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR A PUBLIC SCHOOL PUPIL.

25         Resolved further, That the foregoing amendment shall be sub-

26    mitted to the people of the state at the next general election in

27    the manner provided by law.



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