SF 3080

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/22/2016 09:49am

A bill for an act
relating to education finance; establishing a working group to review progress on
Minnesota's school finance reform efforts; appropriating money.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin SCHOOL FINANCE TASK FORCE.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Recommendations and duties. new text end

new text begin The School Finance Task Force
is established to recommend to the Minnesota legislature changes designed to make
Minnesota's school finance formulas more equitable and efficient. The task force must
publicly adopt goals for Minnesota's funding system, identify specific formula changes to
implement those goals, and recommend changes to the Minnesota legislature. The task
force must examine funding for at least regular instruction, special education, and facilities.
The task force may also examine other areas of Minnesota's school funding system.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Membership. new text end

new text begin The School Finance Task Force shall have 15 members
appointed by July 1, 2016, as follows:
new text end

new text begin (1) five members appointed by the governor;
new text end

new text begin (2) five members appointed by the house of representatives Education Finance
Committee; and
new text end

new text begin (3) five members appointed by the senate Education Committee.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Terms. new text end

new text begin Unless replaced by their appointing authority, each member shall
serve until the task force sunsets.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin First meeting. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education must convene the first
meeting of the task force by August 1, 2016.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Chair. new text end

new text begin The chair of the task force must be elected by the task force
membership and, unless replaced by a vote of the task force membership, serves until the
task force sunsets.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Assistance. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of education, upon request, must provide
technical assistance and support to task force members, including identifying areas where
past reports have identified formulas that should be changed to provide greater efficiency
and equity among Minnesota's school districts and charter schools.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Report. new text end

new text begin By January 1, 2017, and again on January 1, 2019, the task
force must submit its recommendations to the commissioner of education for changes
to Minnesota's education funding system. The commissioner must consider these
recommendations when advising the governor on the governor's education funding budget
recommendations. Following the release of the task force recommendations, and not more
than two weeks after the public release of the governor's proposed education budget, the
commissioner must determine the portions of the governor's proposed budget that further
the goals established by the task force and those that do not and report those items to the
education committees of the legislature.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Sunset. new text end

new text begin The task force sunsets the day after submitting its final report
under subdivision 7.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; SCHOOL FINANCE TASK FORCE.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2017 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of education for the duties of the School Finance Task Force established in section 1.
new text end