Assigned to ED                                                                                           AS PASSED BY THE SENATE

 

 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

REVISED

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1178

 

schools; energy savings calculation; eligibility

(NOW:schools; energy savings; calculation; eligibility)

Purpose

 

Specifies that school districts are ineligible to adjust the budget limit for energy reduction purposes if the school district did not participate in energy conservation measures during FY 2001.

 

Background

 

State law allows school districts to request energy reduction adjustments when implementing energy conservation measures that result in a reduction to the district’s excess utilities expenditures. The budget year’s excess utilities are required to be less than the base year’s excess utilities in order for districts to include the energy reduction adjustment as part of their budget.  The base year is defined as the year immediately prior to the year in which conservation measures were implemented. One-half of the reduction can be added to the school district’s general budget limit, which applies to the base year and the year prior to the budget year; the remaining one-half of the reduction is required to be used to offset local property taxes within each district. 

 

Twenty-three school districts in Arizona budgeted for the energy reduction adjustment for FYs 2000 and 2001, totaling a budget request to the Department of Education of approximately $1.6 million.  The Department of Education eliminated some of the requesting districts from receiving additional monies since eligibility requirements were not met in all cases.  As a result, the actual amount for those qualifying districts is approximately $659,000 for FY 2001.

 

There is no fiscal impact to the state general fund associated with this amendment.       

 

Provisions

 

1.      Specifies that school districts are ineligible to adjust the budget limit for energy reduction purposes if the school district did not participate in energy conservation measures during school year 2000-2001.

 

2.      Provides for a general effective date.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amendments Adopted by Committee

 

Adopted the strike everything amendment.

 

Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole

 

Makes a clarifying change.

 

Senate Action

 

EDU                2/8/01              DPA    8-0-0

3rd Read           2/21/01            DPA    29-0-1-0

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

March 5, 200