Bill Text: NJ S161 | 2024-2025 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Enhances State fiscal oversight of certain school districts.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-09 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S161 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2024-S161-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
221st LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2024 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator VINCENT J. POLISTINA
District 2 (Atlantic)
SYNOPSIS
Enhances State fiscal oversight of certain school districts.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
An Act concerning State fiscal oversight and approval of expenditures in certain school districts and supplementing P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-1 et al.).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. a. If a school district has received commercial valuation stabilization aid pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2015, c.143 (C.18A:7F-65), and is located within a municipality in need of stabilization and recovery and subject to the provisions of P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-1 et al.), the school district, or the State monitor if the Commissioner of Education has appointed one for the school district, shall report directly to the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs, or the director's designee, on at least a weekly basis.
b. If a school district or a State monitor is required to make reports as required pursuant to subsection a. of this section, then in addition to the authorities granted to the director by the Local Finance Board pursuant to section 5 of P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-5), the director shall be authorized to oversee the fiscal management and expenditures of school district funds and shall have the power to approve school district expenditures, including those of a school district under the direct oversight of a State monitor. When acting pursuant to this subsection, the director shall have the powers and authorities of a State monitor appointed to provide direct oversight of a board of education's business operations and personnel matters pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2006, c.15 (C.18A:7A-55), and may take such action as is deemed necessary and appropriate to ensure the efficiency of school district expenditures pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2015, c.143 (C.18A:7F-66).
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Atlantic City is a "municipality in need of stabilization and recovery" pursuant to the "Municipal Stabilization and Recovery Act," P.L.2016, c.4 (C.52:27BBBB-1 et al.). Under this law, Atlantic City's municipal government is under the supervision of the Local Finance Board and the Director of the Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs. The Atlantic City school district receives "commercial valuation stabilization aid" pursuant to section 1 of P.L.2015, c.143 (C.18A:7F-65). Because of this, the Commissioner of Education has appointed a State monitor to provide direct oversight of the Atlantic City board of education's business operations and personnel matters.
While State supervision over Atlantic City's municipal and school operations is appropriate under each of these bodies of law, the current oversight structure lacks coordination of these State functions. This bill would require a school district that has received "commercial valuation stabilization aid" and is located within a "municipality in need of stabilization and recovery" to report directly to the Director of the Division of Local Government Services, or the director's designee, on at least a weekly basis. If the Commissioner of Education has appointed a State monitor for the school district, the bill would require the State monitor to report directly to the director at least weekly.
In this instance, in addition to the authorities granted to the director by the Local Finance Board, the bill authorizes the director to oversee the fiscal management and expenditures of school district funds and provides the director the power to approve school district expenditures, including those of a school district under the direct oversight of a State monitor. When acting pursuant to this bill, the director would have the powers and authorities of a State monitor, and is authorized to take action necessary and appropriate to ensure the efficiency of school district expenditures.
