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Bill would clarify education service district authority to seek facility bonds; sponsors seek to add component-district option
Summary
House Bill 2514 would clarify ESD authority to seek voter-approved general obligation bonds for capital needs and technical statutory language; presenters asked to add component school districts to the measure so ESDs could pursue region-wide facility bonds that could pass through to smaller districts.
House Bill 2514 would establish a limit on the aggregate principal amount of bonded indebtedness for Education Service Districts (ESDs) at 7.95% of the real market value of taxable property within the ESD and clarify that ESDs have authority to seek voter approval for general obligation bonds in the same manner as school districts.
Lori Satinspiel of the Oregon Association of Education Service Districts (OAESD) told the committee the change is technical but important because the Oregon Constitution includes ESDs in its definition of school districts while implementation language has not always reflected that status. Satinspiel said ESDs seek clarity so they can pursue capital financing for regional needs such as childcare facilities and to provide an additional tool for serving small component districts.
Amendment discussion: Satinspiel asked to amend the bill to "add back component school districts," restoring language removed on the House side. Supporters said adding component districts would allow an ESD to facilitate a regionwide bond that could serve as a passthrough to small local districts. Committee members asked how voters across the ESD would know which component district would receive bond proceeds; Satinspiel said details would likely be addressed during the local bonding process and that staff would follow up with answers.
Formal action at this hearing: The Senate Education Committee held a public hearing on the bill; no committee vote or final action was recorded during this session. Satinspiel said the bill "came out of the House with 54 eyes," referring to the House vote count in earlier action.
