1. There
is hereby established the Advisory Panel on School Vouchers. The
Advisory Panel shall be representative of a diversity of views
and shall consist of fifteen (15) members as follows:
a. Seven
(7) members, including the chair and vice chair, appointed by
the Governor, no more than four of whom shall be of the same
political party;
b. The
Attorney General or her designee and the Commissioner of Education
or his designee shall serve as ex officio members;
c. Three
(3) members appointed by the President of the Senate, no more
than two of whom shall be of the same political party;
d. Three
(3) members appointed by the Speaker of the General Assembly,
no more than two of whom shall be of the same political party;
2. The Advisory
Panel shall assist the Governor and Legislature in proposing legislation
to implement a tuition school voucher program based upon the objectives
set forth below.
3. The proposed
legislation should address the following objectives:
a. The
proposal should be limited in scope and viewed as a pilot program
so as to determine the feasibility and impact of expanding the
program statewide;
b. The
proposal must recognize the fiscal constraints of the State
and be consistent with budgetary limitations; and
c. The
proposal must include a mechanism and criteria to adequately
and impartially evaluate the pilot program.
4. The Advisory
Panel should also examine the fiscal, legal and administrative
issues that may arise concerning implementation of the pilot program.
5. The Advisory
Panel shall present its recommendations and proposed legislation
no later than one year from the date of this Order to allow adoption
and implementation for the 1996 school year.
6. The Advisory
Panel is authorized to call upon any department, offices or agencies
of State government to provide such information, personnel and
assistance as deemed necessary to discharge its responsibilities
under this Order. Each department, officer, division and agency
of this State is hereby required to cooperate with the Advisory
Panel and to furnish it with such information, personnel and assistance
as is necessary to accomplish the purpose of this Order.
7. The Advisory
Panel shall hold at least three (3) public hearings as it discharges
its responsibilities under this Order.
8. This
Order shall take effect immediately.
GIVEN,
under my hand and seal
this 10th day of January in the year
of Our Lord, One Thousand Nine
Hundred and Ninety Five, and of the
Independence of the United States, the
Two Hundred and Nineteenth.
/s/
Christine Todd Whitman
GOVERNOR