Purpose of the Bill

This bill aims to expand how schools in Minnesota can use long-term facilities maintenance revenue. Specifically, it seeks to allow these funds to be used for enhancing the safety of school facilities.

Main Provisions

• Facility Plans Requirement: School districts must create a ten-year facility plan to qualify for maintenance revenue. This plan requires school board adoption and approval from the education commissioner.
• School Safety Enhancements: Included in the facility plans, districts can propose physical modifications to improve school safety. This is a new provision allowing long-term maintenance revenue to fund these safety upgrades.
• Health and Safety Compliance: The plans must comply with health, safety, and environmental regulations, like indoor air quality management and lead hazard remediation.
• Gender-Neutral Restrooms: Each school site should have a provision for a gender-neutral, single-user restroom.
• Plan Updates and Financing: Districts need to annually update their plans and indicate whether they will levy funds or issue bonds to finance the enhancements. If issuing bonds, they must provide a debt service schedule showing that annual debt payments do not exceed projected revenue.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Previously, the use of long-term facilities maintenance revenue was limited to basic maintenance and compliance projects. The bill amends this to include funding for safety enhancements, making it explicit that such funds can be used to physically modify school facilities for better safety.

Relevant Terms

• Education finance
• Long-term facilities maintenance revenue
• School safety enhancements
• Ten-year facility plan
• Bond issuance
• Health and safety compliance
• Gender-neutral restroom