SCHOOL EXPENSES S.B. 80 (S-3) & 81 (S-2):
FLOOR SUMMARY
Senate Bill 80 (Substitute S-3 as reported)
Senate Bill 81 (Substitute S-2 as reported)
CONTENT
Senate Bill 80 (S-3) would amend the State School Aid Act to require districts to make information regarding reimbursement of expenses available to the public. Senate Bill 81 (S-2) would amend the Revised School Code to include public school academies and an educational achievement authority (EAA) in provisions that govern the payment of board members' expenses, and to include school districts, public school academies, and an EAA in provisions that prohibit the use of district funds for certain purposes.
The bills are tie-barred to each other, and would take effect 90 days after their enactment.
Senate Bill 80 (S-3): The State School Aid Act requires school districts to provide certain information through a district's website, in a format prescribed by the Department of Education.
The bill also would require a district to provide, through its website, its written policies on: procuring supplies, materials, and equipment; establishing specific categories of reimbursable expenses, as described in Section 1254 of the Revised School Code (a section that Senate Bill 81 (S-2) would amend); and either the district's accounts payable check register, or a statement of the total amount of reimbursed expenses, for the most recent school fiscal year.
Senate Bill 81 (S-2): Section 1254 of the Revised School Code allows the board of a school district or intermediate school district (ISD) to pay an expense incurred by a board member. The bill would extend this section to the board of directors of a public school academy, and an authority board of an EAA. The section requires expenses to be approved in advance by a board, and to be consistent with the board's adopted policy on categories of reimbursable expenses. Under the bill, this policy would be a public record, and the board would have to make the policy available to people who requested it.
The bill also would include ISDs, public school academies, and an EAA in provisions that govern a school board's issuance of credit cards or debit cards to board members.
The Code makes it a misdemeanor use ISD funds or other public funds under control of the district to purchase alcoholic beverages, jewelry, gifts, fees for golf, or items that cannot be legally purchased or possessed, subject to certain exceptions. The bill would include school district, public school academy, and EAA funds in these provisions.
The Code defines "public funds" as taxes, State appropriations, Federal funds, or payments for services to an ISD. The bill would include within this definition the same funds of a school district, public school academy, or EAA.
MCL 388.1618 (S.B. 80) Legislative Analyst: Glenn Steffens
380.1254 & 380.1814 (S.B. 81)
FISCAL IMPACT
The bills would have no fiscal impact on the State.
Any local fiscal impact from the legislation would be minimal, and would arise from the requirement to make available additional details on personnel expenses, written policies governing procurement of supplies, materials, and equipment, written policies establishing specific categories of reimbursable expenses, and either the accounts payable check register or amount of reimbursed expenses.
Date Completed: 5-2-13 Fiscal Analyst: Cameron Mock
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.