What's happening
This bill allows school districts in New York to create an energy reserve fund for energy costs without voter approval.
Why it matters
Gives school districts more financial flexibility and responsiveness. by allowing them to set aside funds specifically for energy costs without waiting for voter approval, which can help them better manage unpredictable utility expenses or price spikes.
May help districts avoid budget shortfalls or disruptions. caused by unexpected increases in energy costs, as they can proactively save for these expenses instead of having to reallocate funds from other programs or request additional taxpayer support mid-year.
Unused funds can be repurposed or returned. if money remains in the energy reserve fund at year’s end, districts can transfer it to another reserve or apply it to the next year’s budget, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are not locked away unnecessarily and can address other priorities.
Could lead to greater long-term planning and energy efficiency investments,. as districts might be more able to plan for and invest in energy-saving measures without the procedural delays of seeking voter approval for each funding step.
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Who cares
School district boards
The bill would let them establish energy reserve funds and spend the money on energy costs without voter approval.
School district budget officials
Money not spent on energy costs in the fiscal year it was deposited could be transferred to another reserve fund or applied to the next fiscal year's budget appropriations.
Qualified school district voters
They would not have approval authority over the creation of these energy reserve funds or expenditures for their stated purpose.
Headline styles
School Energy Reserve Fund
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
530
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. CAHILL, LUPARDO, ABINANTI, BARRETT, GUNTHER, WOERNER -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BUCHWALD, FRIEND, 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.
LBD01981-01-9
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.