HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 805

BYRepresentatives Taylor, Ebersole, Brough, Haugen, B. Williams, H. Sommers, Sanders, Leonard, Betrozoff, Ballard, Bristow, May, Locke, Braddock, Peery, Walker, Padden, D. Sommers, Amondson, Schoon, L. Smith, Bumgarner and Miller

Limiting the availability of state matching funds for school plant construction under certain circumstances.

House Committe on Education

Majority Report:     The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (19)

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

House Staff:Susan Patrick (786-7111)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION MARCH 3, 1987

BACKGROUND:

School districts may apply to the State Board of Education for state matching funds for new school construction for unhoused students. In the past the state had provided matching funds from the sale of timber on state lands.  The decrease in funds generated by the lack of timber sales revenue has resulted in an inability to pay the state matching funds. The legislature, the State Board of Education and school districts have begun to search for alternative ways of providing schools for unhoused students when state matching funds are not available.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  School districts shall be required to lease a vacant school for a reasonable fee to the contiguous school district wherever possible. No school district with unhoused students may be eligible for state matching percentage for the construction of school plan facilities if: 1) the school district contiguous to the school district applying for the state matching percentage has vacant school plant facilities;  2) the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the State Board of Education have determined the vacant facilities in the contiguous school district will fulfill the needs of the applicant district; and 3) a lease of the vacant school can be negotiated.

In determining whether a contiguous district's vacant school fulfills the need, consideration shall be given, but not limited to, geographic location as it relates to the applicant district.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL: The clarification is made that the State Board of Education is not limited to considering only geographic location in determining whether a vacant building fills the needs of another school district.

Fiscal Note:    No Impact.

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

House Committee - Testified Against: None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:     This is one way to address the serious problems we face in financing school construction.  Districts should seriously consider the use of vacant buildings.

House Committee - Testimony Against: None Presented.