This bill amends the Code of West Virginia to establish a two-year moratorium on school closures and consolidations, allowing time for revisions to the school funding formula. It mandates that any planned school closings or consolidations be paused to accommodate these revisions, provided that significant changes are passed by the Legislature. Additionally, the bill stipulates that the state will cover minimum expenses associated with these planned closures until the funding formula revisions take effect, with the amount equal to the estimated savings from the closures.

Furthermore, the bill allows for a pause in the closure process of any school that has not yet been completed, enabling county boards of education to decide whether to hold an emergency levy election. If such a decision is made, the election will occur as a special election. The bill also includes provisions for the state board to promulgate necessary rules related to these changes by specified deadlines. Overall, the legislation aims to ensure that school funding considerations are adequately addressed before any closures or consolidations are finalized.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-5-13a