HF 431 (LSB 2069YH (4) 86)

HOUSE FILE 431

BY  HANSON

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing a transportation aid supplement program for certain school districts, making appropriations, and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  257.16C  Transportation aid supplement program —— repeal.
   1.  a.  A transportation aid supplement program is established to provide additional funding for school districts in which the district transportation costs per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, exceeded the state average transportation costs per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, as those amounts were determined for that budget year under section 257.31, subsection 17, paragraph “c”.
   b.  For each fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2015, but before July 1, 2018, there is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of management an amount necessary to pay the transportation aid supplements calculated under subsection 2.
   2.  a.  For each school district that meets the requirements of subsection 1, paragraph “a”, the transportation aid supplement amount shall be equal to the district’s actual enrollment used to calculate the district’s average transportation costs per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, under section 257.31, subsection 17, paragraph “c”, multiplied by the difference between the district’s average transportation costs per pupil and the state average transportation costs per pupil, as those amounts were determined for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, under section 257.31, subsection 17, paragraph “c”. However, such resulting amount shall be reduced by the amount of transportation assistance aid received by the district under section 257.31, subsection 17, for the budget year in which the district receives aid under this section.
   b.  (1)  For the budget year beginning July 1, 2015, each school district with average transportation costs per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, that exceeded six hundred forty-two dollars shall receive a transportation aid supplement.
   (2)  For the budget year beginning July 1, 2016, each school district with average transportation costs per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, that exceeded five hundred eighteen dollars but was less than six hundred forty-two dollars shall receive a transportation aid supplement.
   (3)  For the budget year beginning July 1, 2017, each school district with average transportation costs per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, that exceeded three hundred eighteen dollars but was less than five hundred eighteen dollars shall receive a transportation aid supplement.
   3.  Amounts received by a school district from a transportation aid supplement shall be deposited in the general fund of the school district and expended only for the cost of repairing, maintaining, and fueling school district transportation equipment and school buses, as defined in section 321.1, subsection 69. Revenues received by a school district under this section are miscellaneous income and shall not be included in district cost.
   4.  Except for an adjustment in the amount of the transportation aid supplement under subsection 2, paragraph “a”, participation in the transportation aid supplement program under this section shall not affect a school district’s eligibility for transportation assistance under section 257.31, subsection 17.
   5.  This section is repealed on July 1, 2018.
    Sec. 2.  EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT.  This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill establishes a transportation aid supplement program to provide additional funding for school districts in which the district transportation costs per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, exceeded the state average transportation costs per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013.
   The bill appropriates an amount necessary from the general fund of the state for each fiscal year beginning on or after July 1, 2015, but before July 1, 2018, to pay the transportation aid supplements authorized in the bill.
   For each eligible school district, the transportation aid supplement amount is equal to the district’s actual enrollment used to calculate the district’s average transportation costs per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, multiplied by the remainder of the district’s average transportation costs per pupil minus the state average transportation costs per pupil, as those amounts were determined for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013. The bill provides for a reduction in such aid amounts if the district receives transportation assistance aid from the school budget review committee under Code section 257.31(17) for the budget year in which the district receives the transportation aid under the bill.
   Under the bill, for the budget year beginning July 1, 2015, each school district with average transportation costs per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, that exceeded $642 shall receive a transportation aid supplement. For the budget year beginning July 1, 2016, each school district with average transportation costs per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, that exceeded $518 but was less than $642 shall receive a transportation aid supplement. For the budget year beginning July 1, 2017, each school district with average transportation costs per pupil for the budget year beginning July 1, 2013, that exceeded $318 but was less than $518 shall receive a transportation aid supplement.
   The bill requires amounts received from a transportation aid supplement to be deposited in the general fund of the school district and expended only for the cost of repairing, maintaining, and fueling school district transportation equipment and school buses. The bill specifies that revenues received by a school district under the bill are miscellaneous income and shall not be included in district cost.
   The bill includes a provision that repeals the transportation aid supplement program on July 1, 2018.
   The bill takes effect upon enactment.