SB 1816 — school districts; optimal square footage

Bill Text

• Introduced Introduced Version Current pdf

AI-generated reading aid from the bill's amendatory text — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes criteria that limit when school districts can call bond elections based on their optimal square footage compared to actual square footage.

• Section 15-492

  NOTWITHSTANDING SECTION 15-491, IF THE RATIO OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT'S OPTIMAL SQUARE FOOTAGE TO ACTUAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF ALL BUILDINGS THAT ARE OWNED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AS CALCULATED PURSUANT TO SECTION 41-5702.01, IS AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED TEN PERCENT, THE SCHOOL DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD MAY NOT CALL AN ELECTION TO EITHER: 1. DETERMINE WHETHER BONDS OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT MAY BE ISSUED AND SOLD. 2. CHANGE THE LIST OF CAPITAL PROJECTS OR THE PURPOSES AUTHORIZED BY PRIOR VOTER APPROVAL TO ISSUE BONDS.

  School districts with an optimal square footage ratio of 110% or more are restricted from calling for bond elections.

• Section 41-5702.01

  A. ON OR BEFORE _____ OF EACH YEAR, THE BOARD SHALL CALCULATE THE OPTIMAL SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THIS STATE BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AND GRADE CONFIGURATIONS PRESCRIBED IN SECTION 41-5711, SUBSECTION C. FOR THE PURPOSE OF CALCULATING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS SERVED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE BOARD SHALL USE THE SUM OF THE FOLLOWING: 1. THE MOST RECENT AVERAGE DAILY MEMBERSHIP DATA FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. 2. IF A SCHOOL DISTRICT LEASES A BUILDING OR A PORTION OF A BUILDING TO A CHARTER SCHOOL OR PRIVATE SCHOOL, THE STUDENT CAPACITY OF THE BUILDING OR THE PORTION OF THE BUILDING. THE BOARD MAY INCLUDE THE STUDENT CAPACITY OF A LEASED BUILDING OR PORTION OF A BUILDING PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH ONLY AFTER VERIFYING THE LEASE. THE BOARD SHALL INCLUDE THE FULL STUDENT CAPACITY OF A LEASED BUILDING OR PORTION OF A BUILDING PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH WITHOUT REGARD TO WHETHER THE LEASE GRANTS TO THE LESSEE EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TO USE THE SCHOOL BUILDING OR SCHOOL FACILITIES THAT ARE THE SUBJECT OF THE LEASE.

  The board is required to calculate the optimal square footage for each school district based on student data and to consider leased buildings in this calculation.

• Section 41-5702.01

  B. ON OR BEFORE _____ OF EACH YEAR, THE BOARD SHALL: 1. POST ON THE BOARD'S WEBSITE BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING: (a) THE OPTIMAL SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THIS STATE CALCULATED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION A OF THIS SECTION. (b) THE RATIO OF EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT'S OPTIMAL SQUARE FOOTAGE TO ACTUAL SQUARE FOOTAGE OF ALL BUILDINGS THAT ARE OWNED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. 2. SUBMIT TO EACH COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT AND COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS A NOTIFICATION THAT: (a) IDENTIFIES EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THIS STATE FOR WHICH THE RATIO CALCULATED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH 1, SUBDIVISION (b) OF THIS SUBSECTION IS AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED TEN PERCENT. (b) INCLUDES A STATEMENT THAT ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IS IDENTIFIED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION (a) OF THIS PARAGRAPH IS INELIGIBLE TO CALL A BOND ELECTION PURSUANT TO TITLE 15, CHAPTER 4, ARTICLE 5.

  The board must publicly post the optimal square footage calculations and notify local authorities of districts ineligible to call bond elections based on their optimal square footage ratio.

Action History

1. February 09, 2026

   Senate Second Reading

2. February 05, 2026

   Senate First Reading

Sponsors

• David C. Farnsworth · Primary

Subjects