SF 1814

1st Engrossment - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to education; authorizing a school district to create essential services
and priority purposes account in the district general fund; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2006, section 179A.07, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding for
new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 123B.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [123B.7495] ESSENTIAL SERVICES AND PRIORITY PURPOSES
ACCOUNT.
new text end

new text begin (a) A school district may create an essential services and priority purposes account
in the general fund. If a district creates this account, the district must specify the purposes
for which money transferred into the account will be used. Funds transferred into the
account shall not be used for any purposes not specified by the district. The district may
specify more than one purpose for the funds in the account. A district may only change
or adjust the purposes of the account on July 1 of an odd-numbered year, except as
provided in paragraph (g).
new text end

new text begin (b) A school district that creates an account under paragraph (a) may make a
permanent fund transfer from the general fund to the essential services and priority
purposes account by July 1 of an odd-numbered year. The amount transferred to the
account must be made as either a specific dollar amount or as a percentage of the district's
general fund. The amount transferred may assume revenues that the district reasonably
anticipates receiving in the next two fiscal years. The district may make more than one
fund transfer to the account. Funds in the account may only be expended by the district
for the purposes specified by the district.
new text end

new text begin (c) The revenue transferred to the essential services and priority purposes account
under paragraph (a) may be used at least for the following purposes: staff development,
class size reduction, budget reserve, classroom technology, betterment of school sites and
facilities, textbooks or other curricular materials, student transportation, school safety, or
music instruction and instrument purchases.
new text end

new text begin (d) A school district that reserves funds in the essential services and priority purposes
account for staff development is not required to reserve funds for staff development
under section 122A.61.
new text end

new text begin (e) A school district that reserves funds in the essential services and priority
purposes account for class size reduction is not required to reserve funds for learning and
development under section 126C.12, subdivision 1.
new text end

new text begin (f) A school district that reserves funds in the essential services and priority purposes
account for gifted and talented programs is not required to reserve its gifted and talented
revenue, under section 126C.10, subdivision 2b, for gifted and talented programs.
new text end

new text begin (g) The school board may, by unanimous vote, change or adjust the purposes of the
essential services and priority purposes account in the general fund at any time during
a calendar year if it is determined that there is an unforeseen emergency pertaining to
the health and safety of students.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 179A.07, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:

new text begin Subd. 1a. new text end

new text begin School districts. new text end

new text begin A school district must not enter into a collective
bargaining agreement that requires the use of money transferred into its essential services
and priority purposes account under section 123B.7495.
new text end