Education (School Funding)

This bill exempts state-owned land containing correctional facilities from property tax assessments for school funding purposes. It amends tax law to specifically exclude such lands (excluding state-built improvements) from taxable status, meaning these properties will no longer contribute to school tax rolls. The change applies to assessment rolls prepared on or after the effective date (January 1 following enactment). This directly affects state correctional facilities by removing their land value from local school tax calculations. The bill does not alter tax treatment of improvements on these properties or impact other types of state-owned land.

Provides that a school district vote on a bond resolution shall take place on the third Tuesday in May in conjunction with the school budget vote; provides that such bond resolution vote may only be resubmitted to the voters of the school district one time subsequent to such vote.

Provides that the tax levy limit shall be equal to a zero percent increase over the prior year tax levy when the difference between the total amount of taxes levied for the prior year less the tax levy limit results in a negative number.

Provides that the tax levy limit shall be equal to a zero percent increase over the prior year tax levy when the difference between the total amount of taxes levied for the prior year less the tax levy limit results in a negative number.

This bill modifies how school districts receive state funding for charter school tuition. It requires districts to be paid annually based on charter school tuition costs from specific past years (2014-2017 and later), with smaller districts (under 1 million population) getting immediate payments for 2025-2026 expenses. Large city districts (over 1 million population) face a $35 million annual reduction in funding for 2020-2021 and 2023-2024 if they received corresponding American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) emergency relief funds. A new section creates a system where districts get funding equal to their current year charter tuition payments minus those from 2025-2026.