HB 0629

AN ACT relative to equipment upgrades, improvements, or purchases at the regional vocational education centers and making an appropriation therefor.

SPONSORS: Rep. Snyder, Straf 14; Rep. Spang, Straf 8; Rep. J. White, Hills 46; Sen. McCarley, Dist 6; Sen. O'Hearn, Dist 12

This bill makes an appropriation of $2,600,000 for the biennium ending June 30, 2003 to the department of education to the regional vocational education centers for equipment upgrades, improvements, or purchases according to the criteria set forth in the equipment and instruction program revolving fund.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

AN ACT relative to equipment upgrades, improvements, or purchases at the regional vocational education centers and making an appropriation therefor.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 Regional Vocational Education; Equipment and Instruction Program Revolving Fund; Criteria Established. Amend RSA 188-E:11, I to read as follows:

I.(a) There is established an equipment and instruction program in which any regional vocational center may establish a revolving fund to be used for capital improvement costs for the replacement or upgrading of equipment, or for aiding instruction in the various vocational programs offered by the center. The fund shall be used to pay necessary costs of equipment replacement or upgrades and [~~related~~] for providing instructional materials which are required to provide up-to-date adult, business and industry training, re-training or customized programs.

(b) The commissioner of the department of education shall distribute funds from this program according to the following criteria including but not limited to:

(1) The age of the regional vocational education center with priority of funds given to older centers.

(2) The size of the population served by the regional vocational education center.

(3) The priority of need demonstrated by the regional vocational education center.

2 Appropriation; Regional Vocational Education Centers. The sum of $1,300,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2002, and the sum of $1,300,000 for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003 are hereby appropriated to the equipment and instruction program established in RSA 188-E:11 to be used solely for the purposes set forth therein. Appropriations to this program shall be non-lapsing and any amounts not used in the first fiscal year shall carry forward into the following fiscal year and shall be in addition to any other appropriations made; provided that no regional vocational education center may receive more than $200,000 during the biennium. The governor is authorized to draw a warrant for said sums out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

AN ACT relative to equipment upgrades, improvements, or purchases at the regional vocational educational centers and making an appropriation therefor.

The Department of Education indicates this bill will increase state general fund expenditures by $1.4 million in FY 2002 and $1.4 million in FY 2003. There will be no fiscal impact on state, county, and local revenue or county and local expenditures.

The bill appropriates $1.4 million in FY 2002 and $1.4 million in FY 2003 from the general fund to the Department of Education for the purposes of this act.

The Department of Education states the $1.4 million appropriation will be spent each year for equipment upgrades, improvements, or purchases at the regional vocational educational centers.