Bill Text: NJ S3247 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Eliminates cap on cost of SDA district school facilities projects that may be constructed by district and included in capital outlay budget.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Passed) 2016-01-19 - Approved P.L.2015, c.257. [S3247 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S3247-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex)
Senator NELLIE POU
District 35 (Bergen and Passaic)
SYNOPSIS
Eliminates cap on cost of SDA district school facilities projects that may be constructed by district and included in capital outlay budget.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the construction of certain school facilities projects and amending P.L.2007, c.260.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 21 of P.L.2007, c.260 (C.18A:7F-63) is amended to read as follows:
21. a. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.2000, c.72 (C.18A:7G-1 et al.) or P.L.2007, c.137 (C.52:18A-235 et al.) to the contrary, an SDA district as defined in section 3 of P.L.2000, c.72 (C.18A:7G-3) may include in its annual capital outlay budget and construct one or more school facilities projects if [the cost of each project does not exceed $500,000 and] the commissioner, in consultation with the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, approves the inclusion of the project upon a demonstration by the district that its budget includes sufficient funds to finance the project. The commissioner's approval of the inclusion of the school facilities project in the district's annual capital outlay budget may also contain specific conditions including, but not limited to, a requirement that the district follow the design requirements and materials and system standards established by the development authority. A district may also withdraw funds from a capital reserve account for such purpose with the approval of the commissioner.
b. A school facilities project [, the cost of which does not exceed $500,000 and] that is not financed and constructed pursuant to subsection a. of this section, shall continue to be financed and constructed in accordance with the provisions of P.L.2000, c.72 (C.18A:7G-1 et al.) and P.L.2007, c.137 (C.52:18A-235 et al.).
(cf: P.L.2007, c.260, s.21)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
Under current law, an SDA (former Abbott) district may include in its annual capital outlay budget and construct one or more school facilities projects if the cost of each project does not exceed $500,000 and the Commissioner of Education approves the inclusion of the project upon a demonstration by the district that its budget includes sufficient funds to finance the project. This bill eliminates the $500,000 cap on the cost of projects that may be constructed by an SDA district and included in its annual capital outlay budget. The bill also provides that the commissioner will approve the inclusion in consultation with the New Jersey Schools Development Authority. The commissioner's approval may also contain specific conditions including, but not limited to, a requirement that the district follow the design requirements and materials and system standards established by the development authority.
