NY State Senate Bill 2015-S2115

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Date of Action	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 06, 2016	referred to education
Jan 21, 2015	referred to education

2015-S2115 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3046
Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education Law
Laws Affected:: Add §1509-a, Ed L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S2549, A5938
2011-2012: S1758, A1790
2013-2014: S2127, A2293
2017-2018: S3176, A2396
2019-2020: S3690, A5412
2021-2022: S5312, A5905

2015-S2115 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Provides for studies and procedures for the consolidation of school districts.

2015-S2115 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S2115

TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the education law, in relation to the consolidation of
school districts

PURPOSE:

Relates to the consolidation of school districts.

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

The education law is amended by adding a new section 1509-a.

JUSTIFICATION:

As communities and taxpayers across the state continue to be subjected
to skyrocketing property taxes caused by increases in the school
property tax, the Legislature has been seeking ways to reduce this
financial burden on New Yorkers. One of the issues that remains as the
forefront is the consolidation of local school districts.

Under the current statute, districts normally perform feasibility
studies with a neighboring district. However, even if a favorable
study is produced, there is nothing requiring or providing additional

incentive for districts to follow through on a consolidation. In
addition, there are instances where one district wishes to move
forward, another does not, and potentially, the community taxpayer's
may be missing out on lower property taxes and increased educational
opportunities due to a consolidation.

It is the goal of this bill to direct the State Education Department
to perform a study to identify school districts with one thousand
students or less that could consolidate. Said completed study shall
identify the districts that the Department recommends for
consolidation. Each proposed consolidation identified in the report
shall be the subject of public hearings in each respective school
district. Upon completion of the hearings, the Department shall create
a final list of school districts which they recommend to consolidate.
Each one of these districts shall establish a citizen advisory
committee.

The Department will then be authorized to conduct feasibility studies
for each proposed consolidation in conjunction with the citizen
advisory committee. Public hearing shall be conducted by each school
district upon completion of their feasibility study. A referendum to
approve or disapprove such consolidation shall occur after the public
hearings.

For those districts who receive approved consolidation from the
voters, they shall receive an additional ten percent of state aid for
twenty years following said consolidation.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2014-15 S.2127/A.2293;


2011-12 S.1758;
2009-10 S.2549.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately.

2015-S2115 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

    S. 2115                                                  A. 3046

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                      S E N A T E - A S S E M B L Y

                            January 21, 2015
                               ___________

IN SENATE -- Introduced by Sen. LAVALLE -- read twice and ordered print-
  ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education

IN  ASSEMBLY  -- Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred
  to the Committee on Education

AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to the  consolidation  of
  school districts

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section 1509-a
to read as follows:
  S 1509-A. SCHOOL DISTRICT CONSOLIDATION. 1. THE DEPARTMENT  IS  HEREBY
AUTHORIZED  AND DIRECTED TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO IDENTIFY SCHOOL DISTRICTS
WITHIN THE STATE THAT MAY BENEFIT FROM CONSOLIDATION WITH  ONE  OR  MORE
SCHOOL  DISTRICT.  THE  STUDY  SHALL BE LIMITED IN SCOPE TO INCLUDE EACH
SCHOOL DISTRICT WITHIN THE STATE WITH ONE THOUSAND STUDENTS OR LESS  AND
ANY  SCHOOL  DISTRICT  THAT EITHER: (1) SHARES A COMMON BORDER WITH SUCH
DISTRICT; OR (2) HAS AN EXISTING CONTRACT TO EDUCATE SOME OR ALL OF  THE
STUDENTS  OF SUCH DISTRICT WITH ONE THOUSAND STUDENTS OR LESS.  CRITERIA
USED TO DETERMINE WHICH SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHALL BE CONSIDERED FOR CONSOL-
IDATION SHALL BE DETERMINED BY  THE  DEPARTMENT.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL
ISSUE  A  REPORT BASED ON THE FINDINGS OF SUCH STUDY WHICH SHALL CLEARLY
IDENTIFY THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDS FOR CONSOL-
IDATION.
  2. THE REPORT ISSUED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION SHALL
BE COMPLETED WITHIN SIX MONTHS AFTER THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
SUCH REPORT SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW BY THE PUBLIC  AND  SHALL
BE POSTED ON THE DEPARTMENT'S INTERNET WEB PAGE.
  3. EACH PROPOSED CONSOLIDATION IDENTIFIED IN THE REPORT RECOMMENDED BY
THE DEPARTMENT SHALL BE THE SUBJECT OF PUBLIC HEARINGS IN A MANNER TO BE
DETERMINED  BY  THE  DEPARTMENT.  A HEARING SHALL BE HELD IN EACH SCHOOL

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD00879-01-5

S. 2115                             2                            A. 3046

DISTRICT WHICH IS PROPOSED TO BE PART OF A CONSOLIDATION. WITHIN  THIRTY
DAYS  AFTER THE COMPLETION OF SUCH PUBLIC HEARINGS, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL
PUBLISH A FINAL LIST OF SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT THE DEPARTMENT  RECOMMENDS
FOR  CONSOLIDATION.  SUCH LIST SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW BY THE
PUBLIC AND SHALL BE POSTED ON THE DEPARTMENT'S INTERNET WEB PAGE.
  4. EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT IDENTIFIED IN THE LIST  DIRECTED  TO  BE  MADE
PURSUANT  TO SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION SHALL ESTABLISH A CITIZEN
ADVISORY COMMITTEE. THE MEMBERSHIP OF EACH  CITIZEN  ADVISORY  COMMITTEE
SHALL BE ESTABLISHED IN A MANNER TO BE DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
  5. THE DEPARTMENT IS HEREBY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO CONDUCT A STUDY
FOR EACH PROPOSED CONSOLIDATION SET FORTH IN THE LIST PURSUANT TO SUBDI-
VISION  THREE OF THIS SECTION ON THE FEASIBILITY OF THE CONSOLIDATION OF
SUCH DISTRICTS. EACH FEASIBILITY STUDY SHALL BE CONDUCTED IN CONJUNCTION
AND COOPERATION WITH THE LOCAL CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  THE  DEPART-
MENT SHALL ISSUE A REPORT FOR EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT BASED ON THE FINDINGS
OF  EACH SUCH FEASIBILITY STUDY WITHIN NINETY DAYS AFTER THE PUBLICATION
OF THE LIST PREPARED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION THREE OF THIS SECTION. EACH
REPORT SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW BY THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH SUCH
SCHOOL DISTRICT IS LOCATED AND  SHALL  BE  POSTED  ON  THE  DEPARTMENT'S
INTERNET WEB PAGE.
  6.  UPON  COMPLETION OF EACH FEASIBILITY STUDY AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED
TO BE MADE PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION FIVE OF  THIS  SECTION,  EACH  SCHOOL
DISTRICT  SHALL  CONDUCT PUBLIC HEARINGS IN A MANNER TO BE DETERMINED BY
THE DEPARTMENT. UPON THE COMPLETION OF SUCH  PUBLIC  HEARINGS  A  PUBLIC
REFERENDUM  TO APPROVE OR DISAPPROVE SUCH CONSOLIDATION SHALL BE SUBMIT-
TED  TO  THE  ELIGIBLE  VOTERS  RESIDING  IN  THE  CONSOLIDATING  SCHOOL
DISTRICTS.  A MAJORITY VOTE OF EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPOSED FOR CONSOL-
IDATION SHALL BE REQUIRED TO EFFECTUATE THE PROPOSED CONSOLIDATION.
  7.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  OTHER PROVISION OF LAW, EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT
CONSOLIDATED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL RECEIVE  AN  ADDITIONAL  TEN
PERCENT OF STATE AID FOR TWENTY YEARS FOLLOWING SUCH CONSOLIDATION. SUCH
ADDITIONAL  STATE  AID  SHALL  BE CALCULATED USING THE HIGHEST STATE AID
RATIO OF THE CONSOLIDATING SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
  8. ADDITIONAL STATE AID GRANTED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION SEVEN OF  THIS
SECTION  SHALL  BE  USED  SOLELY  FOR THE COSTS OF THE CONSOLIDATION AND
REORGANIZATION OF SUCH DISTRICT, TO IMPROVE  THE  QUALITY  OF  EDUCATION
WITHIN  THE  CONSOLIDATED  SCHOOL  DISTRICT  OR TO REDUCE TAXES. NO SUCH
ADDITIONAL STATE AID SHALL BE USED TO INCREASE SALARIES OR  BENEFITS  OF
SCHOOL DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS, TEACHERS AND STAFF.
  S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S2115

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

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2015-S2115 (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S2115 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S2115 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S2115 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

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Sponsored By

Kenneth P. LaValle

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Actions

2015-S2115 (ACTIVE) - Details

2015-S2115 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2015-S2115 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2015-S2115 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments