Section 37-185-5 - Independent Schools' COVID-19 Assistance Grant Program established; purpose; application; award and allocation of funds(1) The Independent Schools' COVID-19 Assistance Grant Program is established, to be administered by the MDA, for the purpose of making grants to eligible independent schools to provide reimbursements for eligible expenses, as defined in Section 37-185-3.(2) From the date of the beginning of the period for applications for grants under this section, the MDA shall consider and review applications from eligible independent schools that did not receive and have not been awarded reimbursement under any other federal program for the expenses that will be reimbursed by a grant under this section.(3) The MDA shall develop regulations, procedures and application forms to govern the administration of the program, which at a minimum, shall require eligible independent schools to: (a) Submit an application for a grant for reimbursement;(b) Demonstrate the need and purpose of the grant funds received to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the operation of the school and its delivery of instruction; and(c) Provide an itemized list of reimbursable eligible expenses as defined in Section 37-185-3, which the independent school has previously incurred, is presently incurring or will incur before December 30, 2020, as such expenses relate to mitigation of the impact of COVID-19.(4) The MDA may retain One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00) for the administration of the program.(5) The department shall report on the utilization of the program to the Chairs of the Universities and Colleges Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House and the Governor by October 1, 2020. At a minimum, the report shall contain: (a) The name of each eligible independent school;(b) The total amount of reimbursement requested by each eligible independent school; and(c) The total amount of reimbursement received by each eligible independent school.Added by Laws, 2020, ch. 489, HB 1793,§ 9, (became law without the Governor's signature on July 9, 2020).