Bill Text: IA HF359 | 2015-2016 | 86th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to school district transportation costs by authorizing a school district to impose a transportation cost supplemental levy following approval at election and including applicability provisions.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-02-24 - Subcommittee, Highfill, Fry, and Hanson. H.J. 403. [HF359 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2015-HF359-Introduced.html
House File 359 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY HEATON A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to school district transportation costs by 2 authorizing a school district to impose a transportation 3 cost supplemental levy following approval at election and 4 including applicability provisions. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 2353YH (4) 86 md/sc PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 298.17 Transportation cost 1 2 supplemental levy == election. 1 3 1. In order to remove school district transportation costs 1 4 from the state school foundation program, following approval at 1 5 election under subsection 2, the board of directors of a school 1 6 district may certify for levy by April 15 of the school year 1 7 preceding the budget year, a tax on all taxable property in the 1 8 school district for a transportation cost supplemental levy. 1 9 2. a. The board of directors of a school district may, on 1 10 its own motion, or shall, upon receipt of a petition signed 1 11 by eligible electors equal in number to at least twenty=five 1 12 percent of the number of voters who voted at the last preceding 1 13 regular school election, direct the county commissioner of 1 14 elections to submit to the registered voters of the school 1 15 district the question of whether to levy the transportation 1 16 cost supplemental tax not to exceed an amount authorized 1 17 under subsection 3. The question shall be submitted at an 1 18 election held on a date specified in section 39.2, subsection 1 19 4, paragraph "c". 1 20 b. If a majority of the votes cast upon the proposition is 1 21 in favor of the proposition, the board shall annually certify 1 22 the amount required for a fiscal year to the county board of 1 23 supervisors. The board of supervisors shall levy the amount 1 24 certified. The amount shall be placed in the transportation 1 25 cost account in the general fund of the district and shall be 1 26 used only for the purposes specified in this section. 1 27 c. The proposition to levy the transportation cost 1 28 supplemental tax is not affected by a change in the boundaries 1 29 of a school district, except as otherwise provided in this 1 30 section. If each district involved in school reorganization 1 31 under chapter 275 has adopted the transportation cost 1 32 supplemental tax, and if the voters have not voted upon the 1 33 proposition to levy the transportation cost supplemental tax 1 34 in the reorganized district, the existing transportation 1 35 cost supplemental tax shall be in effect for the reorganized 2 1 district for the least amount that has been approved in any of 2 2 the districts and until discontinued pursuant to this section. 2 3 d. Once approved at an election, the authority of the board 2 4 to levy and collect the transportation cost supplemental tax 2 5 shall continue until the board votes to rescind the levy and 2 6 collection of the tax or the voters of the school district 2 7 by majority vote approve the discontinuance of the levy and 2 8 collection of the tax. The tax shall be discontinued in the 2 9 manner provided for imposition of the tax under this section. 2 10 3. The amount certified by a school district for levy 2 11 under this section for a school budget year shall not exceed 2 12 an amount equal to the district's actual cost for all children 2 13 transported for the budget year preceding the base year 2 14 pursuant to section 285.1, subsection 12, less the amount 2 15 received for transporting nonpublic school pupils under section 2 16 285.1. However, such resulting amount shall be reduced by 2 17 the amount of transportation assistance aid received by the 2 18 district under section 257.31, subsection 17, for the same 2 19 budget year, if applicable. 2 20 4. a. Revenues received by a school district from a levy 2 21 imposed under this section shall be expended only for the 2 22 transportation costs of the district including but not limited 2 23 to the cost of repairing, maintaining, and fueling school 2 24 district transportation equipment and school buses, as defined 2 25 in section 321.1, subsection 69. 2 26 b. If a school district imposes the levy under this section 2 27 for a budget year, except for transportation assistance 2 28 aid received under section 257.31, subsection 17, and 2 29 notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the 2 30 school district shall not use school district general fund 2 31 revenues that are outside the district's transportation cost 2 32 account for any purpose designated under paragraph "a" for that 2 33 same budget year. 2 34 5. Except for an adjustment in the amount certified for 2 35 levy under subsection 3, imposition of a transportation cost 3 1 supplemental levy under this section shall not affect a school 3 2 district's eligibility for transportation assistance under 3 3 section 257.31, subsection 17. 3 4 6. Revenues received by a school district under this section 3 5 are miscellaneous income and shall not be included in district 3 6 cost. 3 7 Sec. 2. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to school budget 3 8 years beginning on or after July 1, 2016. 3 9 EXPLANATION 3 10 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 3 11 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 12 This bill authorizes the board of directors of a school 3 13 district, following voter approval, to certify for levy a 3 14 tax on all taxable property in the school district for a 3 15 transportation cost supplemental levy. 3 16 The board of directors of a school district may, on its 3 17 own motion, or shall, upon receipt of a petition signed by 3 18 eligible electors equal in number to at least 25 percent of 3 19 the number of voters who voted at the last preceding school 3 20 election, direct the county commissioner of elections to submit 3 21 to the registered voters of the school district the question of 3 22 whether to levy the transportation cost supplemental tax. If a 3 23 majority of the votes cast upon the proposition is in favor of 3 24 the proposition, the board shall annually certify the amount 3 25 required for a fiscal year to the county board of supervisors. 3 26 The amount collected from the levy shall be placed in the 3 27 transportation cost account in the general fund of the district 3 28 and shall be used only for the purposes specified in the bill. 3 29 Once approved at an election, the authority of the board to 3 30 levy and collect the transportation cost supplemental tax 3 31 shall continue until the board votes to rescind the levy and 3 32 collection of the tax or the voters of the school district 3 33 by majority vote approve the discontinuance of the levy and 3 34 collection of the tax. 3 35 The amount certified by a school district for levy for a 4 1 school budget year shall not exceed an amount equal to the 4 2 district's actual cost for all children transported for the 4 3 budget year preceding the base year, less the amount received 4 4 for transporting nonpublic school pupils. The bill provides, 4 5 however, that such resulting amount shall be reduced by 4 6 the amount of transportation assistance aid received by the 4 7 district under Code section 257.31(17) for the same budget 4 8 year, if applicable. 4 9 The bill specifies that revenues received by a school 4 10 district from a levy imposed under the bill shall be expended 4 11 only for the transportation costs of the district, including 4 12 but not limited to the cost of repairing, maintaining, and 4 13 fueling school district transportation equipment and school 4 14 buses. The bill provides that except for an adjustment in 4 15 the amount that may be certified for levy, imposition of a 4 16 transportation supplemental levy does not affect a school 4 17 district's eligibility for transportation assistance under Code 4 18 section 257.31(17). 4 19 The bill provides that if a school district imposes the 4 20 transportation cost supplemental levy for a budget year, 4 21 except for transportation assistance aid received under Code 4 22 section 257.31, and notwithstanding any provision of law to the 4 23 contrary, the school district may not use the school district's 4 24 general fund revenues that are outside the district's 4 25 transportation cost account for any purpose designated under 4 26 the bill for that same budget year. 4 27 The bill specifies that revenues received by a school 4 28 district from a transportation cost supplemental levy are 4 29 miscellaneous income and shall not be included in district 4 30 cost. 4 31 The bill applies to school budget years beginning on or after 4 32 July 1, 2016. LSB 2353YH (4) 86 md/sc
