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The bill defines "chief financial officer of a school district" to include various business-related positions reporting to the superintendent.
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Define School CFO Roles
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 39
No co-sponsors yet.
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.
Define School CFO Roles
In Assembly Committee · Education · Sponsor Amy Paulin
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
5497
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
May 3, 2019
Introduced by Sen. SKOUFIS -- 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 what positions constitute chief financial officer of a school district
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 2131 to read as follows:
§ 2131. Chief financial officer. For purposes of this article, "chief financial officer of a school district" shall mean and include, but not be limited to, the assistant superintendent for business, school business administrator, school business officer, or other similar official that reports directly to the superintendent and holds either the appropriate certification as required by the department for a school district administrator, school business administrator, or school district business leader, or other person holding an appropriate certificate as determined by the department, or a school business manager or person holding a similar title in a civil service position.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03707-01-9
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 what positions constitute chief financial officer of a school district
Purpose
To define in the education law the role of the chief financial officer of a school district and to define what positions constitute the posi- tion of chief financial officer.
Summary of provisions
Section one amends the education law by adding a new section 2131, which provides the definition of a chief financial officer (CFO) of a school district. A CFO shall mean and include, but not be limited to, the assistant superintendent for business, school business administrator, school business officer, or other similar official that reports directly to the superintendent and holds either the appropriate certification as required by the department for a school district administrator, school business administrator, or school district business leader, or other person holding an appropriate certificate as a determined by the depart- ment, or a school business manager or person holding a similar title in a civil service position.
Section two provides the effective date.
Justification
School districts are complex multi-million dollar operations that require the expertise of professionals with business, accounting or financial backgrounds, and an education background. This expertise is provided by district staff with various titles like Assistant Super- intendent of Business, School Business Manager or Director of Finance, all serving the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
Over the past several years (particularly since the advent of the tax cap), various guidance documents from state agencies refer to the func- tions or the role of the Chief Financial Officer, although no such posi- tion is defined in the education law.
This legislation will rectify this oversight by simply defining the CFO by who commonly fulfills that role in school districts, namely the Assistant Superintendent for Business, School Business Manager, or Director of Finance. The bill does not require school districts to have a CFO; it simply defines that position in the education law. Given the ongoing fiscal stress that many school districts face and the annual discussions over school finances, state aid, and the tax cap, it is important to clearly define the role of the CFO in a school district.
Legislative history
A.359 of 2017 and 2018, referred to education. Same as S.4250 of 2017 and 2018, referred to education. A.9427 of 2016, referred to education. Same as S.6953, referred to education.
Fiscal implications
This bill will have no fiscal impact to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of July next succeeding the date on which it becomes law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.