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REFERENCE TITLE: provisional community colleges; organization; enrollment |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-second Legislature First Regular Session 2015
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HB 2247 |
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Introduced by Representatives Ackerley, Cardenas, Gabaldón, Shope, Senator Dalessandro: Representatives Pratt, Saldate, Senator McGuire
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AN ACT
amending section 15‑1402.01, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to provisional community college districts.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 15-1402.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
15-1402.01. Alternative organization for community college districts
A. A county that does not meet the requirements prescribed in section 15‑1402 may organize a community college district under this chapter if all of the following requirements have been met:
1. A provisional community college district has been in operation in that county for at least five years immediately before the formation of the proposed community college district pursuant to this section.
2. The most recent number of full-time equivalent student enrollment calculated pursuant to section 15-1466.01 for the provisional community college district is at least nine hundred.
3. The proposed community college district is actively seeking accreditation from a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States department of education or by the council on postsecondary accreditation. Notwithstanding paragraph 2 of this subsection, a provisional community college district may begin the accreditation process prescribed in this paragraph if the most recent number of full‑time equivalent student enrollment calculated pursuant to section 15-1466.01 for the provisional community college district is at least two hundred fifty.
4. A member of the public requests, or the governing board schedules, public meetings to discuss and hear testimony on the conversion of the provisional community college district to an independent community college district.
5. At the next regularly scheduled meeting after the meeting prescribed in paragraph 4 of this section subsection, the governing board of the provisional community college district adopts a resolution to form a community college district pursuant to this section.
6. Notwithstanding section 42‑17056, after the governing board of the provisional community college district adopts a resolution pursuant to paragraph 5 of this section subsection, the governing board may call an election on a general election date of the board's choice to seek voter approval to increase the primary property tax levy for the provisional community college district. If a majority of the qualified electors voting:
(a) Approve the proposed levy amount, the levy applicable for the district for the next tax year shall not exceed the approved amount and the governing board shall not seek voter approval to increase the primary property tax levy in any subsequent year.
(b) Disapprove the proposed levy amount, the district shall levy a primary property tax based on the previously authorized levy.
7. The provisional community college district has maintained a regional accreditation and oversight relationship with another community college district until the conversion of the provisional community college district to an independent community college district.
B. A community college district established pursuant to this section shall maintain a regional accreditation and oversight relationship with another community college district until the district has achieved initial candidacy status from a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States department of education or by the council on postsecondary accreditation.