ASSEMBLY, No. 2741

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

INTRODUCED FEBRUARY 27, 1997

By Assemblymen COLLINS, ROCCO and Stuhltrager

An Act concerning State aid for public school districts, supplementing P.L.1996, c.138 and making an appropriation.

    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

    1. Notwithstanding any provision of P.L.1996, c.138 (C:18A:7F-1 et seq.) or any rule or regulation promulgated pursuant thereto to the contrary, for the 1997-98 school year a school district, county vocational school district, or county special services school district shall receive additional State aid equal to the amount by which the district's State aid was reduced in the 1996-97 school year pursuant to the provisions of P.L.1995, c.236 (C.18A:7E-1 et seq.). For the 1998-99 school year and thereafter, this additional amount shall be included in the school district's or county vocational school district's prebudget year net budget and prebudget year net T&E budget.

    2. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Education $6,602,749 to effectuate the purposes of this act.

    3. This act shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

    The "Comprehensive Educational Improvement and Financing Act of 1996," P.L.1996, c.138, repealed the "School Efficiency Program Act." This bill would return to school districts in the 1997-98 school year the amount of State aid which was deducted from their aid entitlement in the 1996-97 school year. In addition, the bill makes clear that beginning in the 1998-99 school year this additional State aid amount will be included in the district's prebudget year net budget and prebudget year net T&E budget.

Restores State aid in the 1997-98 school year to public school districts with administrative penalties in the 1996-97 school year; appropriates $6,602,749.