The proposed amendment to the Wyoming Constitution aims to transfer the responsibility for constructing public school facilities from the state to local school districts. It establishes that each local school district will be primarily responsible for providing school facilities through bonds or other financing methods. The amendment stipulates that any capital expenditures for public school construction must be approved by voters, and if rejected, neither the school district nor the state will be obligated to fund those projects. Additionally, the amendment includes provisions for equalizing the cost of bond payments across districts, ensuring that the required mill levy does not exceed what would be necessary if the district's assessed valuation matched the state average.
Furthermore, the amendment allows for state funding mechanisms to support local districts, including appropriations or dedicated funding sources, and may involve a statewide mill levy to ensure equalization payments. It also empowers the legislature to determine which capital facilities are unnecessary for education and therefore exempt from equalization. The amendment is a response to a 2001 Wyoming Supreme Court decision that placed the responsibility for school facilities on the state, and it seeks to revert to a local system while providing mandatory state equalization aid to support local funding efforts.