What's happening
This bill allows New York school districts to create energy reserve funds for energy costs without requiring voter approval.
Why it matters
Gives school districts greater financial flexibility. by allowing them to set aside funds specifically for energy costs without the need for time-consuming and uncertain voter referendums.
May help schools better cope with unpredictable or rising energy expenses. , enabling more stable budgeting and potentially averting sudden program or staffing cuts due to high utility bills.
Unused energy reserve funds can be repurposed efficiently. , either transferred to other reserve funds or applied to the next year’s budget, helping ensure taxpayer money is put to good use rather than sitting idle.
Could encourage more proactive investment in energy efficiency or renewable energy initiatives. , since districts will have dedicated funds available for such costs, possibly leading to long-term savings and environmental benefits.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create School Energy Funds
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred 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.
Create School Energy Funds
In Senate Committee · Education · Sponsor Rich Funke
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
151
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL, LUPARDO, SKOUFIS, ABINANTI, BARRETT, GUNTHER, WOERNER -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BRINDISI, BUCHWALD, LUPINACCI, MONTESANO, RA, RAIA, RAMOS, SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to establishing an energy reserve fund for school districts and boards of cooperative educational services
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3651 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 1-c to read as follows:
1-c. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision one of this section, any school district may establish an energy reserve fund for the payment of energy costs, without approval by the qualified voters of the district. Any monies deposited to such energy reserve fund which are not expended for the payment of energy costs in the fiscal year that the funds are deposited in the energy reserve fund may be either transferred to another reserve fund or applied to the appropriations of the next succeeding fiscal year's budget.
§ 2. Subdivision 3-a of section 3651 of the education law, as added by chapter 588 of the laws of 1988, is amended to read as follows:
3-a. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision three of this section, any school district which establishes a reserve fund in accordance with subdivision one-a or one-c of this section may make expenditures from such fund for the purposes specified in such [subdivision] subdivisions without authorization of the voters.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01637-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.