SENATE DOCKET, NO. 533        FILED ON: 1/13/2009

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 265

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the Year Two Thousand Nine

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An Act Relative to Equitable School Reimbursement Funds..

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Notwithstanding section 72 of chapter 44 of the general laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, any funds received by a city, town or regional school district pursuant to said section 72 shall be considered unrestricted revenue of the city, town or regional school district.  Commencing in fiscal year 2010, and every year thereafter, a city or town shall deposit in a separate account for expenditures by the school committee not less than 50 percent of any such funds received.  A school committee may receive a percentage of such amount that is larger than said 50 percent if the committee negotiates an agreement with the executive body of the city or town to receive such a larger percentage.  A school committee may make expenditures from the separate account for any lawful educational purpose without further appropriation.  Any expenditure from said account on items qualifying as net school spending shall supplement the net school spending requirement of the district.  The receipt of such funds shall not affect the calculation of the minimum required local contribution and state school aid as defined in section 2 of chapter 70 of the General Laws.