What's happening
The bill allows school districts to create energy reserve funds and spend from them without voter approval.
Why it matters
Gives school districts more autonomy over budgeting for energy costs. by allowing them to set aside money in a dedicated reserve fund without needing voter approval, potentially speeding up responses to energy price fluctuations or emergencies.
Could improve financial stability and planning. for schools by allowing unspent energy funds to be transferred to other reserve funds or used to reduce next year’s budget, instead of being locked up or requiring a new approval process.
Reduces direct voter oversight. of certain school spending decisions, shifting more fiscal control to school boards and administrators, which could be efficient but may lessen community input regarding how public funds are managed.
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
Create School Energy Funds
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 55
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 Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Kevin Cahill
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
545
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 4, 2017
Introduced by Sens. FUNKE, AVELLA, BONACIC, GALLIVAN, LATIMER, MARCHIONE, RITCHIE, VALESKY -- 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 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.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the education law, in relation to establishing an energy reserve fund for school districts and boards of cooperative educational services
Purpose
Allows school districts and boards of cooperative educational services to establish a separate fund to provide a reserve for excess energy costs.
Section 3651 of the education law is amended to authorize any school district to establish an energy reserve fund for the payment of energy costs and that any reserve funds not expended in that fiscal year may be transferred to another reserve fund or applied to the appropriations of next fiscal year's budget.
Justification
For the past several years many school districts have faced an increasing difficult time in paying for the high cost of energy. Energy costs have fluctuated greatly and are making it very difficult for school districts to plan for the rising energy costs. This bill would allow school districts to create an energy reserve fund, which would allow school districts to accumulate funds to pay for the excess costs of. energy from this fund. Currently, school districts are allowed to have thirteen other reserve funds for purposes such as Capital, Worker's Compensation, Tax Certioriari and Liability Reserve, among others.
Legislative history
S.3642/A.1677 of 2015/2016; Referred to Education S.1092/A.1155 of 2013/2014; Referred to Education S.517/A.246 of 2011/2012; Referred to Education S.6933/A.961 of 2009/2010; Referred to Education S.8448 - 200B - Referred to Rules Committee
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.