04/20/2004 01:49 PM House FIN

HOUSE BILL NO. 425                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
     An  Act   relating  to  funding  for   school  districts                                                                   
     operating   secondary  school   boarding  programs,   to                                                                   
     funding  for   school  districts  from   which  boarding                                                                   
     students come, and to inoperative  school districts; and                                                                   
     providing for an effective date.                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Harris asked  if the Department  was supportive  of                                                                   
the legislation.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
EDDY JEANS,  MANGER, SCHOOL  FINANCE AND FACILITIES  SECTION,                                                                   
DEPARTMENT  OF  EDUCATION AND  EARLY  DEVELOPMENT,  explained                                                                   
that the Department  has not received a formal  position from                                                                   
the State  Board of  Education on the  bill.  The  Department                                                                   
does believe that  the legislation would provide  some needed                                                                   
resources  to the  schools that  are  operating the  boarding                                                                   
programs.   He  reminded the  Committee  that it  is a  pilot                                                                   
project and if  it is not in the best interest  for the State                                                                   
after  five  years,   the  Department  will   be  before  the                                                                   
Legislature to recommend ending the project.                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Representative Foster MOVED CS  HB 425 (EDU) out of Committee                                                                   
with individual recommendations  and with the attached fiscal                                                                   
note.  There being NO OBJECTION, it was so ordered.                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
CS  HB  425   (EDU)  was  reported  out  of   Committee  with                                                                   
"individual" recommendations  and with  a new fiscal  note by                                                                   
the Department of Education & Early Development.