This bill provides school districts that have transitioned their annual elections to November with the ability to submit separate proposals for additional funding for both the current and subsequent budget years. If a proposal for the subsequent budget year is approved, the district is restricted from increasing its adjusted tax levy for that year by the amount authorized in the proposal. Furthermore, the executive county superintendent has the authority to prevent the submission of such proposals if the district has not fully implemented potential efficiencies in its administrative operations.

The bill also amends existing law to enhance the clarity of the budget submission process. It mandates that if voters approve a proposal for additional funds, the district must submit the final budget to the commissioner within 15 days. In cases where a proposal is rejected, the temporary budget will serve as the final budget for that school year. Additionally, the bill specifies that proposals to increase the tax levy must not include funding for programs necessary for students to meet core curriculum standards and requires interpretive statements detailing the purpose of the proposed funds. The bill is set to take effect immediately, applying first to the 2019-2020 school year.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 18A:7F-5, 18A:7F-5.4, 18A:7F-5.5, 18A:7F-5.6, 18A:7F-37, 18A:7F-39