ASSEMBLY, No. 1186

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

214th LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2010 SESSION

 

 

Sponsored by:

Assemblywoman  DAWN MARIE ADDIEGO

District 8 (Burlington)

Assemblyman  SCOTT RUDDER

District 8 (Burlington)

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Requires Commissioner of Education to compile and annually update list of all unfunded State and federal mandates on school districts.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

  

An Act concerning State and federal unfunded mandates on school districts and supplementing chapter 4 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes. 

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a.  The Commissioner of Education, not later than the first day of the seventh month next following the enactment of P.L.    , c.    (C.    ) (pending before the Legislature as this bill), shall compile and post on the web page of the Department of Education a list of all ongoing mandates required by the State and by the federal government on school districts for which funding to pay the entire cost thereof has not been provided by the State or by the federal government, as appropriate.  The list shall also contain a good faith estimate of the cost to school districts of compliance with the mandate. 

     b.    The commissioner shall annually update and post on the department's web page not later than July 1 of each calendar year the list required pursuant to subsection a. of this section. 

 

     2.    This act shall take effect immediately. 

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill would require the Commissioner of Education to prepare a list, and to annually update that list not later than July 1 of each calendar year, of all ongoing mandates required by the State and by the federal government on school districts for which funding to pay their entire cost has not been provided by the State or by the federal government, as appropriate.  The list must also contain a good faith estimate of the cost to school districts of compliance with the mandate.  The bill also requires that the list, and the annual update of the list, be posed on the department's web page. 

     In order for the Legislature to determine the true financial effect of existing mandates on the State's property taxpayers, and how to mitigate those costs, a compilation of those mandates, both State- and federally-imposed, must be undertaken and produced for public inspection and discussion.