PRINTER'S NO. 962
No. 888 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY BELARDI, BATTISTO, SURRA, WALKO, CLARK, BELFANTI,
COY, YOUNGBLOOD, PESCI, SOLOBAY, BEBKO-JONES, SAINATO,
READSHAW, GIGLIOTTI, STABACK, MYERS, CORRIGAN, M. COHEN,
CAWLEY, TIGUE, WOJNAROSKI, LAUGHLIN, CURRY, JOSEPHS,
WILLIAMS, MELIO, GRUCELA, McCALL, MICOZZIE, RAMOS, HARHAI,
JAMES, STEELMAN, KIRKLAND, ROONEY, LUCYK, BARRAR AND
COLAFELLA, MARCH 15, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, MARCH 15, 1999
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," establishing a limited program of
6 construction assistance grants.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10 as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11 section to read:
12 Section 2575.2. Limited Construction Assistance Grants.--(a)
13 In addition to any other Commonwealth payments or reimbursement
14 under this act for the construction of or the leasing of any new
15 or reconstructed public school buildings, there is hereby
16 established a program of limited construction assistance grants
17 to enable eligible school districts to control the increases in
1 real property taxes necessary to pay construction costs or lease
2 payments.
3 (b) Any school district which receives approval of the
4 Department of Education to proceed with the construction of or
5 the lease of a newly constructed or renovated public school
6 building shall be eligible to apply for a construction
7 assistance grant under this section.
8 (c) The amount of any construction assistance grant to any
9 eligible school district shall be limited to the equivalent
10 amount of money necessary to meet the increased real property
11 tax rates which are directly attributable to the construction
12 costs or new lease payments. If available funds are insufficient
13 to pay the full amount of each construction assistance grant,
14 the department shall make a pro rata reduction in each grant
15 based on the ratio of the population of each eligible school
16 district to the total population of all eligible school
17 districts.
18 (d) All General Fund revenues on July 1st of each fiscal
19 year that remain after all preferred and non-preferred
20 appropriations, executive authorizations, transfers required by
21 law and encumbered funds are deducted are hereby appropriated on
22 a continuing basis to the Department of Education for the
23 purpose of funding construction assistance grants.
24 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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