44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

RELATING TO EDUCATION; ENACTING THE CLASSROOM PIGGY BANK ACT; PROVIDING MONEY FOR TEACHERS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES; MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be cited as the "Classroom Piggy Bank Act"."

Section 2. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] DEFINITIONS.--As used in the Classroom Piggy Bank Act:

A. "educational activities" means instructional events occurring in or outside the classroom for the educational benefit of children;

B. "fund" means the classroom piggy bank fund;

C. "instructional supplies" means incidental items or equipment for use in a classroom setting for the benefit of children; and

D. "teacher" means a certified school instructor at a public school or at an accredited private school who spends the majority of the work day providing instruction to children in grades kindergarten through twelve in a classroom setting."

Section 3. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] CLASSROOM PIGGY BANK FUND CREATED.--The "classroom piggy bank fund" is created in the state treasury. Money in the fund is appropriated to the department of education for the purpose of making distributions to school districts and accredited private schools for distribution to teachers pursuant to the provisions of the Classroom Piggy Bank Act. Money in the fund shall be distributed upon warrant of the department of finance and administration pursuant to vouchers signed by the state superintendent. Unexpended or unencumbered balances remaining in the fund at the end of any fiscal year shall revert to the general fund."

Section 4. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] DISTRIBUTION OF THE FUND.--Money in the fund shall be distributed annually at the commencement of the regular school year. The department of education shall distribute money in the fund in a pro rata share to each school district or accredited private school on the basis of the number of full-time teachers employed by the district or accredited private school. Money distributed to each school district or accredited private school shall be transferred to the principal of each school in the school district for equal distribution to each full-time teacher for their out-of-pocket classroom expenses. Money distributed from the fund shall be in addition to and shall not supplant a distribution made pursuant to the Instructional Material Law."

Section 5. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] EXPENDITURE OF MONEY--RECEIPTS.--

A. Money distributed from the fund shall be expended only for the purchase of instructional supplies or for educational activities, with a limit of one hundred dollars ($100) per teacher per year. Distributions to individual teachers may, at the discretion of the teacher, be combined with distributions to other teachers at the same school to enable joint purchases and enhanced purchasing power. Money from the fund shall not be used for basic building needs or on non-instruction-related uses. Money shall not be used for materials used in the teaching of religious tenets, doctrines or worship.

B. A teacher expending money distributed from the fund shall provide detailed receipts for all expenditures to the principal of the school within thirty days of the expenditure.

C. Money distributed to a principal or a teacher that remains unexpended at the end of the regular school year shall be remitted to the school district for remittance to the fund."

Section 6. APPROPRIATION.--Three million dollars ($3,000,000) is appropriated from the general fund to the classroom piggy bank fund for expenditure in fiscal year 2000 for the purpose of making distributions pursuant to the Classroom Piggy Bank Act. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2000 shall revert to the general fund.