Bill > HB4634

This bill, titled the "Support for Neglected Schools Act," aims to empower the School Building Authority (SBA), a state entity responsible for school construction and major improvements, to better manage and distribute funds for school facilities. It outlines how a portion of available funds, derived from revenue bonds, the School Construction Fund, and other sources, can be allocated for statewide educational programs or specific school major improvement projects, including vocational programs and multiuse vocational-technical facilities. The bill also establishes an emergency fund, sets limits on how long allocated money can be held before forfeiture, and encourages multicounty cooperation on projects. Importantly, it introduces provisions for lease-purchase options for school facilities, allowing the SBA to provide loans to counties for initial payments to reduce lease costs, with specific conditions for repayment and potential forgiveness upon purchase. Furthermore, it mandates that county school districts provide annual maintenance expenditure data to the SBA and the Department of Education for review, and it allows Local School Improvement Councils (LSICs) to apply directly for funding for deferred maintenance if the cost exceeds 25% of the facility's replacement cost and the local education authority hasn't acted. The bill also clarifies that public charter schools can apply for funding for building costs, with provisions for the building's return to the authorizer or state if the school closes.