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School Services of California, Inc.
Community College Update
November 25, 1996

Copyright© 1996 by School Services of California, Inc.
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Facilities Bond Bill Introduced

Senator Jack O'Connell (D-Carpinteria) introduced "Preprint Senate Bill 18" on November 4, 1996. A preprint bill is a legislative procedure that is used to promote and inform the public on a particular subject matter and the intent of the author to introduce legislation as it pertains to the subject matter. Preprint SB 18 would enact the Public Education Facilities Bond Act which, upon approval by the state electorate, would provide for the issuance of state general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $4 billion. $3 billion would be allocated to K-12 schools and $1 billion of the proceeds of bond would be deposited in the 1998 Higher Education Capital Outlay Bond Fund. Historically, UC, CSU and community colleges have each received one-third of these funds.

According to the preprint bill, if the legislation is approved by the legislature and signed by the Governor, it would be submitted to the voters at the November 3, 1998 general election.

The proposed legislation contains specific requirements regarding the use of K-12 bond funds to assist school districts with the facilities-related costs of class size reduction. The author probably hopes that these provisions will assist in the passage of the measure. Another interesting provision of the bill relates specifically to community colleges. The provisions require the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges to consider the historic significance of community college district buildings that are 50 years of age or older if those buildings are to be renovated, reconstructed, or demolished in connection with the construction of buildings utilizing the funds provided by this measure. It appears that the rationale for this provision was due to the concern and opposition to certain historic buildings on local community college campuses being reconstructed or demolished in recent months.

At this time, it is not clear what the mood of the incoming legislature will be regarding school bonds. The legislature may choose to wait until 1998 before passing a bond measure. There have been rumors that Governor Wilson may call for a special election in November, 1997. If so, the legislature may consider a school bond for that ballot. The earliest a bond measure could be on the ballot, without calling a special election, would be March, 1998.

Preprint SB 18 is the first of several bills that will likely be introduced on this subject matter when the legislature returns to Sacramento on January 6, 1997.

-- Arnold Bray
[Posted 11/25/96]