This bill amends the budget adoption procedures for school administrative units (SAUs) by repealing the alternative budget procedures previously established under RSA 194-C:9-b and RSA 194-C:9-a. It requires that the warrant article for the SAU budget be placed at the beginning of the school district warrant, immediately following any articles proposing bonds or notes. Additionally, it mandates that a report to voters must be posted in at least three public locations prior to any school district meeting where a budget is adopted, enhancing transparency and accessibility for the public. The bill also clarifies the budget adoption process for single-district SAUs, requiring them to adopt a budget, conduct budget voting, and hold public hearings.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new provisions stating that if a warrant article does not receive a majority vote from all school district voters, the budget will default to the previous year's amount, adjusted for continuing contracts but excluding pay increases, new positions, or services not included in the prior budget. It specifies that the budget adopted by the SAU board cannot be amended before the vote and outlines the voting procedures, including the use of paper ballots and the responsibilities of the school district moderator. The new budget adoption rules will apply to existing budget caps without requiring local amendments or re-adoption by school districts, and the act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 32:5-e, 189:76, 194-C:3, 194-C:9