HF 2051

as introduced - 80th Legislature (1997 - 1998) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to education; making certain changes 
  1.3             affecting school district election procedures; 
  1.4             proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.5             chapter 205A. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [205A.14] [SCHOOL INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [GENERAL PROVISIONS.] Any independent 
  1.9   school district, for the purpose of initiating any measure of 
  1.10  public concern or calling for a referendum, may place any 
  1.11  measure of public concern to its electorate as a single issue on 
  1.12  which to vote under the procedures in this section. 
  1.13     Subd. 2.  [ELECTION.] After resolving by its own motion or 
  1.14  on receiving a petition substantially in the form required under 
  1.15  section 205A.13 signed by at least 50 district electors or the 
  1.16  number of district electors equal to ten percent of the votes 
  1.17  cast in the most recent regular school board election, whichever 
  1.18  is larger, the board shall adopt a proposal placing a long-range 
  1.19  plan, an administrative policy, or an issue concerning 
  1.20  curriculum to an election under this chapter.  If the election 
  1.21  is initiated by petition, the board must adopt a resolution 
  1.22  calling the election within 180 days after the date the board 
  1.23  receives the petition. 
  1.24     Subd. 3.  [BALLOT QUESTION.] The question presented at the 
  1.25  next general election in a year divisible by two shall not 
  2.1   exceed 50 words and shall include the resolution number .... and 
  2.2   the date of the school board meeting.  If initiated by petition, 
  2.3   the election shall be identical to the question on the petition 
  2.4   and shall not exceed 50 words.  The ballot used when voting upon 
  2.5   any such proposed measure shall give the voters the opportunity 
  2.6   to vote either "for the measure" or "against the measure." 
  2.7      Subd. 4.  [EFFECT OF ELECTION.] If an initiative or 
  2.8   referendum proposal is submitted to a vote of the people and 
  2.9   receives a majority of the votes cast at the election, the 
  2.10  initiative or referendum shall take effect immediately upon 
  2.11  confirming the election results, unless a later date is fixed in 
  2.12  the initiative.  If the school board fails to take immediate 
  2.13  action, the school board members shall receive no further 
  2.14  compensation.  Any subsequent action by the school board to 
  2.15  amend or repeal an initiative or referendum must be submitted to 
  2.16  a vote of the people.  Any initiative or referendum adopted by a 
  2.17  vote of the people may be repealed or amended only by a vote of 
  2.18  the people. 
  2.19     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.20     Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.