House Bill 846 seeks to revise property taxation and the processes surrounding territory transfers between K-12 school districts, with a particular focus on the treatment of isolated pupils—students who cannot access services from their resident school district due to geographic barriers. The bill establishes a framework for school districts to petition the county superintendent for reconciliation payments related to these isolated pupils, outlining the qualifications for such payments, including a processing fee and required evidence. It mandates that the resident school district must impose levies to generate funds specifically for the education of isolated pupils. Additionally, the bill introduces new definitions and processes for territory transfers, requiring a hearing to assess the impact on educational opportunities and economic viability, and stipulating that petitions for territory transfer cannot be refiled for one full fiscal year unless agreed upon by county superintendents.

Moreover, the bill specifies that a valid petition for territory transfer must propose the transfer for both elementary and high school purposes. If granted, the taxable value of the transferred territory will be equally divided between the originating and receiving school districts for three years, affecting the calculation of operational levies. The Department of Revenue is tasked with including half of the certified value of the transferred territory in each district's certified taxable value. The bill also requires that if a school district has made a reconciliation payment, it must budget and impose a levy to generate equivalent revenue for subsequent years, with the receiving district required to deposit this revenue into its tuition fund and compensate the originating district accordingly. The bill is set to take effect immediately upon passage and will apply to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
LC Text: 20-6-105
HB0846_1(1): 20-6-105
HB0846_1(2): 20-6-105
HB0846_1(3): 20-6-105
HB0846_1(4): 20-6-105
HB0846_1(5): 20-6-105
HB0846_1(6): 20-6-105
HB0846_1(7): 20-6-105
HB0846_1: 20-6-105
HB0846_2(1): 20-6-105
HB0846_2(2): 20-6-105
HB0846_2(3): 20-6-105
HB0846_2: 20-6-105
HB0846_X(1): 20-6-105
HB0846_X(10): 20-6-105
HB0846_X(11): 20-6-105
HB0846_X(12): 20-6-105
HB0846_X(13): 20-6-105
HB0846_X(2): 20-6-105
HB0846_X(3): 20-6-105
HB0846_X(4): 20-6-105
HB0846_X(5): 20-6-105
HB0846_X(6): 20-6-105
HB0846_X(7): 20-6-105
HB0846_X(8): 20-6-105
HB0846_X(9): 20-6-105
HB0846_X: 20-6-105