What's happening
This bill requires New York to reimburse school districts for expenses related to state-mandated reorganization studies.
Why it matters
Removes a financial barrier for school districts. by ensuring they don’t have to absorb out-of-pocket costs for state-required studies when considering major reorganizations like mergers, consolidations, or annexations.
May encourage more school districts to explore reorganization. since the expense of required studies (which can be substantial) would no longer deter districts from examining potential efficiencies or improvements.
Links reimbursement to actual expenses and state funding availability. , meaning districts are only reimbursed if the legislature has allocated funds, potentially creating uncertainty if appropriations are delayed or insufficient.
Could impact local education budgets and property taxes. by shifting some costs from local taxpayers to the state, potentially easing local budget pressures if reorganization studies are otherwise unfunded.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Fund District Reorganization Studies
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 59
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Recommitted to rules
- Ordered to third reading cal.1636
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- 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.
Pay for School Merger Studies
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Carrie Woerner
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2233
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 12, 2017
Introduced by Sen. GALLIVAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to reimbursement for studies for districts subject to reorganization
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 3602 of the education law is amended by adding a new subdivision 14-a to read as follows:
14-a. Districts shall be reimbursed for any actual expenses incurred relating to any study that is required by the department for purposes of approving a reorganization. For purposes of this subdivision the term "reorganization" shall mean any merger, consolidation, or annexation eligible for aid under subdivision fourteen of this section.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that if upon such effective date, an appropriation to the education department shall not have been made for reimbursement of school districts and boards of cooperative educational services for the purposes of implementing the provisions of subdivision 14-a of section 3602 of the education law, as added by section one of this act, then this act shall take effect on the forty-fifth day after such an appropriation is made, and provided, further, that the division of the budget shall notify the legislative bill drifting commission upon enactment whether such an appropriation has been made, and if such appropriation shall not have been made on or before such date, the division of the budget shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the date such an appropriation shall have been made, in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the public officers law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00637-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to reimbursement for studies for districts subject to reorganization
Purpose or general idea of bill
This legislation provides that reorganization aid afforded to school districts upon merger, consolidation, or annexation under Education Law § 3602(14) include reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of districts relating to any study required by the State Education Department for the purposes of approving a reorganization of the school district.
Summary of specific provisions
Section 1 provides that districts be reimbursed for actual expenses incurred relating to any study required by the department for purposes of approving a reorganization, which is defined as "any merger, consolidation, or annexation eligible for aid" under Education Law § 3602(14).
Section 2 establishes the effective date.
Justification
Currently, if two or more school district's boards of education agree that reorganization may have potential benefit for their respective districts, a comprehensive feasibility study is undertaken to develop information relating to how the reorganized district(s) would operate. Such a study is often required by the State Education Department prior to issuing formal orders which permit the districts to proceed legally through the reorganization process.
Education Law § 3602(14) sets out the reorganization aid currently provided by New York State to districts upon merger or consolidation, but the law does not include language that would reimburse districts for the cost of related feasibility studies that all or nearly all districts would have required. It is incumbent that this legislation be enacted, so that school districts are neither burdened with the costs of these feasibility studies, nor be deterred from pursuing merger or consolidation due to the costs associated.
Prior legislative history
None
Fiscal implications
Unknown
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately; with exceptions. provided, however, that if upon such effective date, an appropriation to the education department shall not have been made for reimbursement of school districts and boards of cooperative educational services for the purposes of implementing the provisions of subdivision 14-a of section 3602 of the education law, as added by section one of this act, then this act shall take effect on the forty-fifth day after such an appropriation is made, and provided, further, that the division of the budget shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon enactment whether such an appropriation has been made, and if such appropriation shall not have been made on or before such date, the division of the budget shall notify the legislative bill drafting commission upon the date such an appropriation shall have been made, in order that the commission may maintain an accurate and timely effective data base of the official text of the laws of the state of New York in furtherance of effectuating the provisions of section 44 of the legislative law and section 70-b of the public officers law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.