HOUSE BILL REPORT

SHB 2054

BYHouse Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Representatives Grimm and Peery)

Authorizing waivers of state matching requirements for school construction projects.

House Committe on Ways & Means

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefore and the substitute bill do pass.  (25)

      Signed by Representatives Grimm, Chair; Bristow, Vice Chair; Basich, Belcher, Braddock, Brekke, Brough, Butterfield, Dellwo, Ebersole, Grant, Hine, Holland, Locke, McLean, Nealey, Rust, Sayan, H. Sommers, Spanel, Sprenkle, Valle, Wang, B. Williams and Winsley.

House Staff:Janet Peterson (786-7136)

AS PASSED HOUSE FEBRUARY 29, 1988

BACKGROUND:

Currently, the state requires a local match for school construction funding except in the following circumstances:  for school districts which are at their statutory debt ceiling, and for projects to bring facilities into compliance with handicapped access requirements.  Except for certain kinds of projects, the state matching ratio for school construction differs according to the school district's assessed valuation per pupil.  That is, school districts with higher per pupil assessed valuations are required to pay a higher local share.

SUMMARY:

The State Board of Education would be authorized to waive the state matching requirement for a school district which has held bond elections at least twice each year in the previous two years and been unable to pass the bonds, which has a per pupil assessed valuation that is below the statewide average, and which exceeds the pupil capacity of its facilities by at least fifty percent.  However, in this case, the amount of state assistance is still limited to the maximum matchable cost for the square footage of the project, multiplied by the regular state matching percentage for the district.  After the State Board has granted such a waiver, the school district may raise additional local funds without affecting the amount of state assistance provided.

Fiscal Note:      Requested February 27, 1988.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Senator Jack Metcalf.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The state should increase assistance available to areas of the state with low property tax values, which have a difficult time raising local funds.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.