School construction and renovation-constitutional amendment.

2017
STATE OF WYOMING
17LSO-0538
Introduced
1.3

Senate

Joint Resolution
NO.

SJ0008

School construction and renovation-constitutional amendment.

Sponsored by:
Senator(s) Meier, Bebout and Peterson and Representative(s) Hunt, Kirkbride, Miller and Paxton

A
JOINT RESOLUTION

for

A JOINT RESOLUTION proposing to amend the Wyoming Constitution by creating a new section authorizing the legislature to require school districts to impose a special tax on property within the school district for the purpose of construction of public school facilities; requiring voter approval of the facilities; providing for the legal effect of a negative vote; providing excess taxes are remitted to the state; and limiting the legislature's capital obligation.

BE
IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WYOMING,
two-thirds of all the members of the two houses, voting separately, concurring therein:

Section 1.

The following proposal to amend Wyoming Constitution, Article 15, by creating a new Section 21 is proposed for submission to the electors of the State of Wyoming at the next general election for approval or rejection to become valid as a part of the Constitution if ratified by a majority of the electors at the election:

Article 15, Section 21.

School district levy for construction of public schools.

Notwithstanding any other provision of this constitution, the legislature may require the board of trustees of an individual school district to levy a special tax as a condition to receive state funds for the construction of public schools lo
cated within a school district.
The legislature may further condition receipt of the state funds on approval of the proposed project by the qualified electors of the school district on a ballot proposition
. The proposition shall describe
the proposed
project
's educational suitability and adequacy as compared to existing state standards
and the board of
trustees'
opinion
of the proposed
project
.
A vote against the proposition shall conclusively determine that the proposed project is
not necessary to meet minimum school facility requirements imposed by this constitution.
In no event shall the state's obligation to provide funding for the construction of public school facilities exceed the amount necessary to supplement the district's special tax levy for the facilities to meet current facility standards and educational suitability req
uirements adopted by the state. Any taxes collected pursuant to this section in excess of the school district's cost of construction shall be remitted to the state.

Section 2.

That the Secretary of State shall endorse the following statement on the proposed amendment:

The adoption of this amendment would allow the legislature to impose requirements on school districts as a condition to receiving any state funds for the construction of public school facilities located within the school district. The legislature
may
require school district
boards of trustees to impose a special tax to fund
a portion of
the cost
s
necessary to construct

public school facilities located within a school district and
may
require voter approval.
A vote against the proposition shall conclusivel
y determine that the proposed project is not necessary to meet minimum school facility requirements imposed by the constitution.
The adoption of this amendment would also limit the state's obligation for the construction of public school facilities to the amount necessary to supplement the school district's special tax levy. The state's obligation would be to supplement the local tax by an amount necessary for the facility to meet current facility standards and educational suitability requirements adopted by the state.
Taxes collected in excess of the cost of construction to the school district would be remitted to the state.

(END)

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SJ0008