SB 376 Summary

• Authorizes the Commissioner of Education to enter into grant commitments for 29 school building projects totaling approximately $606 million in estimated grants, plus 3 previously authorized projects seeking reauthorization due to scope or cost changes.

• Increases bonding authority for interdistrict magnet school development from $7 million to $11.6 million to support capital start-up costs related to meeting desegregation goals under the Sheff v. O'Neill court order.

• Permits municipalities to establish nonlapsing accounts for unexpended education funds from prior fiscal years, allowing deposits up to 1% of total budgeted education appropriations.

• Allows specified municipalities to modify school project descriptions, scopes, or timelines; proceed with construction before full plan approval; and receive grant reimbursement for costs otherwise ineligible under state education building program rules.

• Revises library statutes to expand applicability from cities only to all municipalities and updates language from "establish and maintain" to "establish or operate" public libraries, effective June 1, 2010.