Sponsored by:
Senator JENNIFER BECK
District 11 (Monmouth)
SYNOPSIS
Increases maximum amount of nonpublic school transportation costs per pupil from $884 to $1,000 and makes supplemental appropriation of $8,000,000 from Property Tax Relief Fund to DOE for transportation aid.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Supplement to "An Act making appropriations for the support of the State Government and the several public purposes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018 and regulating the disbursement thereof," approved June , 2017 (P.L.2017, c. ).
Be It Enacted by the Senate and the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. In addition to the amounts appropriated under P.L.2017, c. , there is appropriated out of the Property Tax Relief Fund the following sum for the purpose specified:
|
34 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 30 Educational, Cultural, and Intellectual Development 31 Direct Educational Services and Assistance STATE AID |
||
|
36-5120 Student Transportation........................................................ (from Property Tax Relief Fund............$8,000,000 ) |
$8,000,000 |
|
|
Total State Aid Appropriation, |
$8,000,000 |
|
|
Direct Educational Services and Assistance..................... (from Property Tax Relief Fund.........$8,000,000 ) |
||
|
State Aid: |
|
|
|
36 Transportation Aid (PTRF)...................... |
($8,000,000) |
|
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 2 of P.L.1981, c.57 (C.18A:39-1a) or any other law or regulation to the contrary, the maximum amount of nonpublic school transportation costs per pupil provided for in N.J.S.18A:39-1 shall equal $1,000.
2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2017, or upon the enactment of P.L.2017, c. , the annual appropriations act for fiscal year 2017-2018, whichever occurs later.
STATEMENT
Under certain circumstances, school districts are required to provide transportation services between home and school to students who reside in the district and attend a nonpublic school. If the cost of providing such transportation would exceed a statutorily established maximum amount per pupil, the district is required to provide a payment equal to that maximum amount to the student's parent or guardian rather than providing transportation services. Under current law, that maximum is to increase annually by the greater of the rate of inflation or the percent change in the State average transportation aid per pupil.
Due to a language provision that has been included in each Appropriations Act since FY 2010, the maximum amount per pupil has remained $884 per pupil. As the cost of providing transportation services has increased, districts are increasingly unable to provide transportation services to nonpublic school students within the authorized limit. This bill increases the maximum nonpublic school transportation costs per pupil to $1,000. Since the State reimburses school districts for nonpublic transportation costs in excess of $710 per pupil, the bill also makes a supplemental appropriation of $8 million from the Property Tax Relief Fund to the Department of Education.