15-30-3113. (Temporary) Review determination -- termination -- confidentiality. (1) Subject to subsection (7), the department is authorized to examine any books, papers, records, or memoranda relevant to determining whether a student scholarship organization is in compliance with 15-30-3102, 15-30-3103, and 15-30-3105.

(2) If a student scholarship organization is not in compliance, the department shall provide to the organization written notice of the specific failures and the organization has 30 days from the date of the notice to correct deficiencies. If the organization fails to correct all deficiencies, the department shall provide a final written notice of the failure to the organization. The organization may appeal the department's determination of failure to comply according to the uniform dispute review procedure in 15-1-211 within 30 days of the date of the notice.

(3) (a) If a student scholarship organization does not seek review under 15-1-211 or if the dispute is not resolved, the department shall issue a final department decision.

(b) The final department decision for a student scholarship organization must provide that the student scholarship organization:

(i) will be removed from the list of eligible student scholarship organizations provided in 15-30-3106 and notified of the removal; and

(ii) shall within 15 calendar days of receipt of notice from the department of removal from the eligible list cease all operations as a student scholarship organization and transfer all scholarship account funds to a properly operating student scholarship organization.

(4) A student scholarship organization that receives a final department decision may seek review of the decision from the Montana tax appeal board pursuant to 15-2-302.

(5) Either party aggrieved as a result of the decision of the Montana tax appeal board may seek judicial review pursuant to 15-2-303.

(6) If a student scholarship organization files an appeal pursuant to this section, the organization may continue to operate until the decision of the court is final.

(7) The identity of donors who make donations to school districts to support innovative educational programs or donations to a student scholarship organization is confidential tax information that is subject to the provisions of 15-30-2618. (Terminates December 31, 2029--sec. 20, Ch. 480, L. 2021, sec. 7, Ch. 558, L. 2023.)