1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; modifying the determination of 
  1.3             sparsity for debt service aid; amending Minnesota 
  1.4             Statutes 1996, section 124.95, subdivision 2. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 124.95, 
  1.7   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  1.8      Subd. 2.  [ELIGIBILITY.] (a) The following portions of a 
  1.9   district's debt service levy qualify for debt service 
  1.10  equalization: 
  1.11     (1) debt service for repayment of principal and interest on 
  1.12  bonds issued before July 2, 1992; 
  1.13     (2) debt service for bonds refinanced after July 1, 1992, 
  1.14  if the bond schedule has been approved by the commissioner and, 
  1.15  if necessary, adjusted to reflect a 20-year maturity schedule; 
  1.16  and 
  1.17     (3) debt service for bonds issued after July 1, 1992, for 
  1.18  construction projects that have received a positive review and 
  1.19  comment according to section 121.15, if the commissioner has 
  1.20  determined that the district has met the criteria under section 
  1.21  124.431, subdivision 2, and if the bond schedule has been 
  1.22  approved by the commissioner and, if necessary, adjusted to 
  1.23  reflect a 20-year maturity schedule.  
  1.24     (b) The criterion in section 124.431, subdivision 2, 
  1.25  paragraph (a), clause (2), shall be considered to have been met 
  2.1   if the district in the fiscal year in which the bonds are 
  2.2   authorized at an election conducted under chapter 475: 
  2.3      (i) serves an average of at least 66 pupils per grade in 
  2.4   the grades to be served by the facility; or 
  2.5      (ii) is eligible for elementary or secondary sparsity 
  2.6   revenue. 
  2.7      (c) The criterion described in section 124.431, subdivision 
  2.8   2, paragraph (a), clause (9), does not apply to bonds authorized 
  2.9   by elections held before July 1, 1992. 
  2.10     (d) For the purpose of this subdivision the department 
  2.11  shall determine the eligibility for sparsity at the location of 
  2.12  the new facility, or the site of the new facility closest to the 
  2.13  nearest operating school if there is more than one new facility. 
  2.14     Sec. 2.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  2.15     Section 1 is effective for projects for which bonds are 
  2.16  authorized under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 475 in fiscal year 
  2.17  1997 and thereafter.