What's happening
This bill allows school district budgets that exceed the tax levy limit to be approved by a simple majority of voters instead of 60%.
Why it matters
Makes it easier for school districts to pass budgets that exceed the tax levy cap, potentially leading to increased funding for schools, programs, and services, as only a simple majority of voters is now needed instead of a supermajority.
Reduces the power of a minority of voters to block higher school budgets, shifting more decision-making authority to the general electorate and possibly reflecting community priorities more accurately.
May result in higher property taxes in some districts, as the hurdle for approving above-cap budgets is lowered, directly impacting homeowners and local taxpayers.
Could lead to greater disparities between districts depending on local willingness to approve higher budgets, influencing educational quality and resources across the state.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Change School Budget Approval Rules
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History
- Referred to education
- Referred to education
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
568
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. STECK -- read once and referred to the Committee on Education
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to school boards
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Paragraphs (a) and (b) of subdivision 6 of section 2023-a of the education law, as added by section 2 of part A of chapter 97 of the laws of 2011, are amended to read as follows:
(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, [in the event] where the trustee, trustees or board of education of a school district that is subject to the provisions of this section proposes a budget that will require a tax levy that exceeds the tax levy limit for the corresponding school year, not including any levy necessary to support the expenditures pursuant to subparagraphs (i) through (iv) of paragraph i of subdivision two of this section, such proposed budget shall be approved by sixty percent of the votes of the trustee, trustees or board of education, then such budget shall be approved if [sixty percent] a majority of the votes cast [thereon] by qualified voters are in the affirmative.
(b) Where the trustee, trustees or board of education proposes a budget subject to the requirements of paragraph (a) of this subdivision, the ballot for such budget shall include the following statement in substantially the same form: "Adoption of this budget requires a tax levy increase of which exceeds the statutory tax levy increase limit of for this school fiscal year and therefore exceeds the state tax cap and must be approved by [sixty percent] a majority of the qualified voters present and voting."
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02182-01-5
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.