Revision: May 25, 2018, 11:08 a.m.
CHAPTER 1
HB 122 - FINAL VERSION
8Mar2017... 0576h
2018 SESSION
17-0037
04/03
HOUSE BILL 122
AN ACT relative to withdrawal from a cooperative school district.
SPONSORS: Rep. J. Belanger, Hills. 27; Rep. Gauthier, Sull. 3
COMMITTEE: Education
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This bill amends the procedure for withdrawal from a cooperative school district.
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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.
Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]
Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.
8Mar2017... 0576h 17-0037
04/03
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eighteen
AN ACT relative to withdrawal from a cooperative school district.
Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:
1:1 Cooperative School Districts; Procedure for Withdrawal. Amend RSA 195:25 to read as follows:
195:25 Procedure for [Withdrawal] Review.
I. After the tenth anniversary of the date of operating responsibility, the school board of a cooperative school district may [undertake a study] initiate a review of the feasibility and suitability of the withdrawal of one or more member districts from the cooperative district. A similar [study] review shall be [undertaken] initiated if, after the tenth anniversary of the date of operating responsibility, a pre-existing district shall, by a majority vote on a warrant article at a regular or special town meeting, direct the school board of a cooperative school district to [conduct] initiate such a [study] review. In either case, the [study] review shall be conducted by a committee composed of [at least] one member of the school board from each of the pre-existing districts, one member of the board of selectmen from each town within the cooperative school district, and such other members as may be appointed by the committee. The committee shall have its first meeting no later 60 days following its creation or by the vote at the annual meeting which established the committee.
II. Within 180 days [after the date of its formation] after the committee's first meeting, the committee shall report its findings to the state board of education. The committee shall submit a report to the [state board of education either a report that withdrawal is not feasible or suitable, or a report that includes a withdrawal plan prepared in accordance with RSA 195:26] school board of the cooperative school district. [If the committee determines that withdrawal is not feasible or suitable, the town which voted to undertake the study may submit a minority report at the same time as the committee report is filed with the state board of education. If the committee report does not include a withdrawal plan, the minority report may include a withdrawal plan prepared in accordance RSA 195:26.] The report shall indicate whether the withdrawal of one or more towns from the cooperative school district is recommended, not recommended, or whether more time and information are needed to make a determination.
III. If the committee finds that the withdrawal of one or more towns from the cooperative school district is recommended, the committee shall develop a withdrawal plan in accordance with RSA 195:26. The plan shall be submitted to the state board of education no later than November 1. Members of the committee who voted against recommending withdrawal may file a minority report with the state board of education no later than November 1.
IV. If the committee finds that the withdrawal of one or more towns from the cooperative school districts is not recommended, the committee shall file a report with the school board of the cooperative school district and the committee shall be dissolved. Members of the committee who voted to recommend the withdrawal of one or more towns from the cooperative school district may file a minority report with the school board of the cooperative school district.
V. If the committee finds that more time and information are needed to make a determination, the committee shall reconvene within 30 days of filing its initial report and continue its work. In such a case, the committee shall, within 180 of filing its initial report, file a subsequent report with the school board of the cooperative school district indicating whether the withdraw of one or more towns from the cooperative school district is recommended or not recommended. If the committee finds that the withdrawal of one or more towns from the cooperative school district is not recommended, members of the committee who voted to recommend the withdrawal of one or more towns from the cooperative school district may file a minority report with the school board of the cooperative school district. If the committee finds that the withdrawal of one or more towns from the cooperative school district is recommended, the committee shall develop a withdrawal plan in accordance with RSA 195:26. The plan shall be submitted to the state board of education no later than November 1. Members of the committee who voted against the withdrawal plan and its recommendations may file a minority report with the state board of education no later than November 1.
VI. If the state board approves [a] the withdrawal plan, whether submitted by the committee or by minority report, the plan shall be submitted to the voters of the cooperative school district in accordance with RSA 195:29.
1:2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Approved: January 26, 2018
Effective Date: March 27, 2018