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. It mandates that these proposals clearly outline the intended use of the funds. If a proposal for the subsequent budget year is approved, the district cannot increase its adjusted tax levy for that year by the amount authorized in the proposal. Furthermore, the executive county superintendent has the authority to block such proposals if the district has not fully implemented potential efficiencies in its administrative operations.

The bill also amends existing law to ensure that if voters approve additional funding proposals, the district must submit the final budget to the commissioner within 15 days. If the proposals are rejected, the temporary budget will serve as the final budget for that school year. Additionally, it specifies that proposals to increase the tax levy must not include programs or services essential for students to meet core curriculum content standards and requires interpretive statements detailing the use of funds and the impact on the tax levy. The bill is set to take effect immediately, applying to the 2019-2020 school year, thereby providing timely support for school districts.

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