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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
House: ED DP 8-2-1-1 |
HB4033: school bonding; ballot language
Sponsor: Representative Gress, LD 4
Caucus & COW
Overview
Expands the information that must be included in the ballot for a school district bond election. Requires bonds for specified purposes to be stated in a separate proposition to the voters.
History
A school district governing board may, or on petition of 15% of the school district electors must, call an election to decide whether school district bonds should be issued and sold for specified capital purposes or to change the list of capital projects or the purposes authorized by a previous voter approval to issue bonds. The ballot for a bond election must include a statement that states the: 1) capital improvements proposed to be funded through the bond issuance are to exceed state standards and are in addition to state monies; 2) total amount of bonds the school district is proposing to issue to fund capital improvements; and 3) school district is entitled to state monies for new construction and renovation of school buildings.
At least 35 days before a bond election, a school district must mail an informational pamphlet prepared by the county school superintendent to each qualified elector that contains: 1) an executive summary of the school district's most recent capital plan submitted to the School Facilities Oversight Board (SFOB); 2) a complete list of each proposed capital improvement that will be funded with bond proceeds; 3) a description of the proposed cost of each improvement, including a separate aggregation of capital improvements for administrative purposes as defined by SFOB; 4) the tax rate associated with each of the proposed capital improvements; and 5) the estimated total cost of each capital improvement for the owner of a single family home valued at $100,000 (A.R.S. § 15-491).
Provisions
1. Adds that the ballot for a school district bond election must include:
a. a complete list, and a description of the proposed cost, of each proposed capital improvement that will be funded with bond proceeds, including a separate aggregation of the capital improvements for administrative purposes as defined by SFOB;
b. a description of each proposed improvement, categorized by one of the following:
i. high school expansion and elementary school enhancements;
ii. renovations, repairs and infrastructure upgrades;
iii. pupil transportation and maintenance vehicles;
iv. transportation, maintenance and administrative facilities improvements;
c. each proposed improvement, including the specific projects the school district will undertake for the improvement; and
d. for each of the specified categories, the percentage of the category's total cost relative to the total bond proceeds.
2. Requires the list of each proposed capital improvement to detail the specific proposed capital improvements that will be funded with bond proceeds and include:
a. a description of the improvement, including whether the bond proceeds will be used to acquire land, make improvements to the land, construct a new school facility, improve existing school facilities or pay for transportation costs;
b. the anticipated cost of each improvement; and
c. the location of each improvement.
3. Allows, for costs to acquire or improve land, the description of the location to detail the general physical location of the improvement.
4. Details the formula to calculate the percentage of the category's total cost relative to total bond proceeds.
5. Allows the question of whether to approve the issuance of bonds for the following categories to be submitted to the voters in a single ballot proposition:
a. the construction, acquisition and equipment of school buildings in the school district;
b. the purchase of new school buses; and
c. the purchase of necessary sites for school buildings.
6. Stipulates bonds for the following purposes must be stated in a separate ballot proposition to the voters:
a. the construction, acquisition or equipment of:
i. a stadium with seating capacity for more than 1,000 spectators;
ii. a natatorium;
iii. a recreational facility other than a gymnasium, playground or play area;
iv. a performing arts facility;
v. teacher housing determined by the school district to be necessary to have a sufficient number of teachers;
vi. administrative buildings; and
b. an acquisition or update of technology equipment, other than equipment used for school security purposes or technology infrastructure integral to construction of a facility.
7. Requires the question of whether to approve the issuance of bonds for the construction, acquisition or equipment of the specified buildings to be printed as a separate ballot proposition regardless of whether the building is proposed as part of the same complex or building that contains traditional classroom facilities.
8. Requires each separate ballot proposition to state the principal amount of the bonds to be issued that constitutes the cost for construction of that portion of the building or complex attributable to the specified buildings or to the traditional classroom facilities, as applicable.
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12. Initials CH HB 4033
13. 2/18/2026 Page 0 Caucus & COW
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