relative to establishing a school cooperative purchasing program.

SB 580 establishes a state-administered school cooperative purchasing program for New Hampshire school districts, school administrative units (SAUs), and chartered public schools. The program enables these entities to join state-negotiated contracts for major school expenses like textbooks, transportation, food services, and heating fuel, replacing individual bidding processes with bulk-purchased rates. Participation is voluntary - school boards or trustees decide whether to join specific contracts, and local schools remain responsible for their own purchases and compliance. The bill streamlines procurement by allowing schools to use state-awarded contracts without needing separate competitive bids, while the state board of education oversees the program.