1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to education finance; authorizing a 
  1.3             facilities joint powers agreement; authorizing a levy. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [LONSDALE JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT.] 
  1.6      Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSE.] The purpose of this section is 
  1.7   to facilitate the joint operation of the Lonsdale Elementary 
  1.8   School so that students residing in the attendance area of the 
  1.9   joint elementary school are treated as resident students in a 
  1.10  single cohesive learning environment. 
  1.11     Subd. 2.  [AGREEMENT.] Independent School District Nos. 
  1.12  394, Montgomery-Lonsdale and 721, New Prague, may form a joint 
  1.13  powers district under Minnesota Statutes, section 471.59 to 
  1.14  govern and manage the Lonsdale Elementary School.  
  1.15  Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the districts may 
  1.16  obligate themselves to participate in and to provide financial 
  1.17  support for a joint powers agreement, to govern the 
  1.18  administration, operation, and financing of the joint elementary 
  1.19  school during the period when the obligations issued to finance 
  1.20  the facility remain outstanding.  
  1.21     Subd. 3.  [ATTENDANCE AREA.] The Joint Powers Board must 
  1.22  specify an attendance area for the Lonsdale Elementary School 
  1.23  that incorporates properties located in both the 
  1.24  Montgomery-Lonsdale and New Prague school districts. 
  2.1      Subd. 4.  [GOVERNANCE.] The Joint Powers Board established 
  2.2   under subdivision 2 shall have the general charge of the 
  2.3   Lonsdale Elementary School. 
  2.4      Subd. 5.  [CONTRACTS.] The Joint Powers Board established 
  2.5   under subdivision 2 shall employ and contract with necessary 
  2.6   qualified teachers and administrators and may discharge the same 
  2.7   for cause.  The board may employ and discharge other necessary 
  2.8   employees and may contract for other necessary services. 
  2.9      Subd. 6.  [ENROLLMENT.] The Lonsdale Elementary School must 
  2.10  give priority to students enrolling from within the specified 
  2.11  attendance area.  The Lonsdale Elementary School may enroll 
  2.12  other students from the member districts and may accept open 
  2.13  enrollment students from other school districts. 
  2.14     Subd. 7.  [PUPIL TRANSPORTATION.] The Joint Powers Board 
  2.15  may separately operate transportation services or require the 
  2.16  member districts to transport students to the Lonsdale 
  2.17  Elementary School. 
  2.18     Subd. 8.  [TUITION.] The Joint Powers Board shall establish 
  2.19  a tuition amount for each student from a member school district 
  2.20  that attends the Lonsdale Elementary School. 
  2.21     Subd. 9.  [FACILITY.] Notwithstanding any law to the 
  2.22  contrary, Independent School District No. 721, New Prague, may 
  2.23  sell and issue bonds for the Lonsdale Elementary School upon 
  2.24  approval of the voters of Independent School District No. 721, 
  2.25  New Prague.  Once constructed, Independent School District No. 
  2.26  721 shall lease the facility to the joint powers district. 
  2.27     Subd. 10.  [FACILITIES PAYMENT.] Each year, the joint 
  2.28  powers district must establish a facilities payment for 
  2.29  Independent School District No. 394, Montgomery-Lonsdale.  The 
  2.30  amount of the payment must equal the New Prague debt service 
  2.31  levy for the Lonsdale Elementary School for that year, less the 
  2.32  average amount of debt service equalization aid received by 
  2.33  Independent School District No. 721, New Prague, attributable to 
  2.34  that facility, multiplied by the ratio of the number of pupils 
  2.35  in average daily membership attending the facility from the 
  2.36  Lonsdale school district to the total number of pupils in 
  3.1   average daily membership attending the facility. 
  3.2      Subd. 11.  [FACILITIES LEVY; MONTGOMERY-LONSDALE.] Each 
  3.3   year, Independent School District No. 394, Montgomery-Lonsdale, 
  3.4   shall levy the amount of the facilities payment calculated under 
  3.5   subdivision 10 and submit that amount to Independent School 
  3.6   District No. 721, New Prague. 
  3.7      Subd. 12.  [DEBT SERVICE LEVY; NEW PRAGUE.] Each year, 
  3.8   Independent School District No. 721, New Prague, shall reduce 
  3.9   its net debt service levy by the amount of the facilities 
  3.10  payment received under subdivision 10. 
  3.11     <b>[EFFECTIVE DATE.]</b> This section is effective the day 
  3.12  following final enactment.