HOUSE BILL REPORT

SSB 5626

BYSenate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Gaspard, Bender, Bauer, Rasmussen and von Reichbauer; by request of Superintendent of Public Instruction and State Board of Education)

Providing for an inventory of school facilities.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendment.  (18)

      Signed by Representatives Ebersole, Chair; Spanel, Vice Chair; Appelwick, Betrozoff, Cole, Cooper, Holm, P. King, Peery, Pruitt, Rasmussen, Rayburn, Rust, Schoon, Taylor, Todd, Valle and Walker.

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7109)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION APRIL 2, 1987

BACKGROUND:

In December of 1984 the Temporary Committee on Educational Policies, Structure, and Management recommended as a part of its report to the legislature that "The Superintendent of Public Instruction should be authorized to conduct a statewide facilities needs assessment and the Office of Facilities and Organization within the Superintendent's office should be afforded the necessary resources to conduct that assessment."  Currently, school districts are required to complete a facilities study when they make a request for construction funds from the State Board of Education.

SUMMARY:

BILL AS AMENDED:  The office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction will establish and maintain an inventory of all structures owned by school districts.  The inventory will be used to:  (1) determine types and trends of facility construction; (2) describe existing systems; (3) review standards for student housing; (4) forecast construction and modernization needs; and (5) analyze construction project requests.

The inventory is to be completed by December 31, 1988 and updated every two years.

AMENDED BILL COMPARED TO SUBSTITUTE:  The appropriation is reduced from $500,000 to $40,000.  The money shall come from the General Fund rather than the Common School Construction Fund.

Appropriation:    An appropriation of $40,000 is made from the General Construction Fund for the 1987-89 biennium to finance the inventory.

Fiscal Note:      Attached.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Mike Roberts, State Board of Education.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    It is important that the state have an inventory to better manage the construction needs of our schools.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None presented.