The bill introduced on February 26, 2025, seeks to amend section 18-9D-15 of the Code of West Virginia by establishing the "Support for Neglected Schools Act." This legislation grants the School Building Authority the responsibility to manage state and federal funds for the construction and significant improvement of school facilities, ensuring that these projects align with the educational needs of students statewide. It specifies funding allocations, including a maximum of 10% for statewide educational projects, 2% for emergency funds, and 5% for multiuse vocational-technical education facilities. The bill also emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive educational facility plans and mandates that county boards provide maintenance expenditure data to qualify for funding.

Additionally, the bill allows public charter schools to apply directly for funding for building renovations or constructions from the School Building Authority. It includes provisions that require any buildings funded by the authority to be returned to the authorizer or the state if a charter school closes. The legislation encourages collaboration among county boards and promotes efficient resource use, favoring multicounty arrangements in project proposals. It also empowers the Local School Improvement Council (LSIC) of any public school to apply for funding to address deferred maintenance issues when costs exceed 25% of the estimated replacement cost, provided that the local education authority has not adequately addressed the facility's needs. If a building cannot be returned to its authorizer, it must be returned to the state, and the authority is tasked with calculating the monetary value of improvements made with its funds.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-9D-15