as introduced - 82nd Legislature (2001 - 2002) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am
1.1 A bill for an act 1.2 relating to education; establishing single-member 1.3 school board election districts equal in population as 1.4 practicable; amending Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 1.5 205A.12, subdivisions 1, 2, 4, 5, 7; repealing 1.6 Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 205A.12, subdivision 1.7 3. 1.8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 1.9 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 205A.12, 1.10 subdivision 1, is amended to read: 1.11 Subdivision 1. [GENERAL PROVISIONS.]AnyAn independent 1.12 school districtmaymust alter its organization into separate 1.13 election districts for the purpose ofelection ofelecting board 1.14 members by following theproceduresprocedure in this section. 1.15 [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective immediately and 1.16 applies to the November 2002 general election and later. 1.17 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 205A.12, 1.18 subdivision 2, is amended to read: 1.19 Subd. 2. [ELECTION.] Except in a school district located 1.20 wholly or partly within a city of the first class,upon1.21resolution of the board, made on its own motion or on1.22presentation of a petition substantially in the form required in1.23section 205A.13, signed by at least 50 electors of the district1.24or ten percent of the number of votes cast in the most recent1.25regular school board election, whichever is larger,the board 1.26shall adopt a proposal tomust divide the district intoseparate2.1election districts. The proposal must designate one of the2.2following options for election of members:single-member 2.3 districts, from which one board member each must be elected.;2.4multimember districts, from which two or three members each must2.5be elected; a combination of single-member and multimember2.6districts; or a combination of single-member or multimember2.7districts, or both, and election of one or more members at2.8large. The proposal must be submitted to an election under this2.9chapter. If the election is initiated by petition, the2.10resolution calling the election must be adopted within six2.11months after the date of receipt of the petition. Only one2.12election within any two-year period may be held under this2.13section.2.14 [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective immediately and 2.15 applies to the November 2002 general election and later. 2.16 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 205A.12, 2.17 subdivision 4, is amended to read: 2.18 Subd. 4. [ELECTION DISTRICT BOUNDARIES.] Eachproposed2.19 election district must be as equal in population as practicable 2.20 and must be composed of compact, contiguous territory. The 2.21 district may utilize the most recent federal decennial census 2.22 figures available or may conduct a special census for this 2.23 purpose. The board shall designate each election district by 2.24 number. 2.25 [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective immediately and 2.26 applies to the November 2002 general election and later. 2.27 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 205A.12, 2.28 subdivision 5, is amended to read: 2.29 Subd. 5. [BOARD ELECTIONS.]If the proposal for the2.30establishment of election districts is approved by the voters,2.31 The board shall specify the election districts from which 2.32 vacancies shall be filled as they occur until such time as each 2.33 board member represents an election district. A candidate for 2.34 school board in a subsequent election must file an affidavit of 2.35 candidacy to be elected as a school board member for the 2.36 election district in which the candidate resides.If there are3.1as many election districts as there are members of the board,3.2one and only one member of the board shall be elected from each3.3election district. In school districts where one or more board3.4members are elected by election districts, candidates must3.5indicate on the affidavit of candidacy the number of the3.6district from which they seek election or, if appropriate, that3.7they seek election from one of the offices elected at large. If3.8the election districts have two or three members each, the terms3.9of the members must be staggered.Each board member must be a 3.10 resident of the election district for which elected but the 3.11 creation of an election district or a change in election 3.12 district boundaries shall not disqualify a board member from 3.13 serving for the remainder of a term. 3.14 [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective immediately and 3.15 applies to the November 2002 general election and later. 3.16 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 205A.12, 3.17 subdivision 7, is amended to read: 3.18 Subd. 7. [DISSOLUTION OF ELECTION DISTRICTS.] The 3.19 governing body of a school district that enters into a 3.20 consolidation or cooperation and combination agreementmay, by3.21resolution,must dissolve election districts previously 3.22 establishedas provided inunder this section as part of the 3.23 consolidation or cooperation and combination plan if the 3.24 election districts are inconsistent with subdivision 2.The3.25resolution must include a plan for the orderly transition to3.26at-large elections of school board members.3.27 [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective immediately and 3.28 applies to the November 2002 general election and later. 3.29 Sec. 6. [REPEALER.] 3.30 Minnesota Statutes 2000, section 205A.12, subdivision 3, is 3.31 repealed. 3.32 [EFFECTIVE DATE.] This section is effective on the date of 3.33 the November 2002 general election.