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History
- Print number 4182b
- Amend (t) and recommit to education
- Referred to education
- Print number 4182a
- Amend (t) and recommit to education
- Referred to education
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Reforms aspects of local government and school accountability
In Senate Committee · Rules · Sponsor Catherine Nolan
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S4182B
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to requiring notice of reserve funds and reserves funded by resolution
Purpose
To provide increased transparency in school district fiscal operations.
Summary of provisions
Sections 1 and 2 of this bill would amend Subdivision 5 of Section 1608 and Subdivision 5 of Section 1716 of the Education Law to require school districts to include a schedule of all reserve funds as part of the detailed statement that is appended to the annual budget document.
Section 3 of this bill adds a new Section 3653 to the Education Law to require boards of education or trustees of a school district to authorize any increased funding of reserves by resolution.
Section 4 of the bill would make this act effective on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Legislative history
2011-12 - S. 5689-A / A. 7815-A
Justification
The Office of the State Comptroller's experience auditing school districts.and BOCES, as required by Chapter 263 of the Laws of 2005, has resulted in audits disclosing a number of circumstances in which certain significant fiscal activities of school districts and BOCES were undertaken without adequate transparency to the governing board and taxpayers, in some cases because of a lack of statutory direction.
In such audits, it was also found that there were a number of situations when school boards did not have current information about the amounts in the district reserves. Without this key information, school boards cannot effectively manage the finances of the districts. To avoid this situation and increase transparency in school district fiscal operations, the bill would require that all transfers into reserve funds be made pursuant to board resolution, and that a schedule of all reserves, including the balance in each reserve fund and any plans for use of the reserve in the ensuing fiscal year, be included in a schedule appended to the annual budget document.
The State Comptroller urges passage of this legislation.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.