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Committee approves bill to ease resale of closed school buildings, limits charter first-refusal window
Summary
The Senate Education Committee advanced SB 2515 with an amendment that narrows charter schools' first right of refusal on closed school buildings and relaxes reverter limits to improve marketability of surplus school properties; the amendment requires charters to state interest within six months and close within 12 months.
The Senate Education Committee voted to advance Senate Bill 2515, which changes how school districts can sell closed school buildings and narrows a charter school's window to exercise a first right of refusal.
Senator Blunt, who explained the bill, said the measure addresses two statewide problems: a reverter clause that returns ownership to a district if a purchaser later uses the building for a different purpose, and the absence of a time limit on a charter school's first right of refusal. "If a school district disposes of a building ... the ownership of the school building reverts to the school district," Blunt said, describing the reverter clause as a deterrent for potential buyers. He added, "I'm not not a big fan of charter schools, but uh if you have a closed school building, I think it makes sense to to look at that school first as a as a as for use as a school." (Senator Blunt).
Under the amendment the committee adopted, a charter school must express interest in a closed property within six months of the district's closure of the property and must either enter a lease or complete purchase within 12 months unless both parties agree to more time for reasons such as inspection or financing. The amendment also revises the reverter provision to give school boards discretion to broaden permitted uses for conveyed buildings, with the intent of making properties more marketable.
Senator Sarah McMahon asked whether any of the listed buildings sat on section 16 land; Blunt said he did not know but noted such land would be covered by the bill insofar as the change affects ownership of the building rather than land. The committee adopted the amendment and voted to advance the bill as a committee substitute by voice vote.
Next steps: the committee chair said he expected one more meeting to take up two or three bills; SB 2515 was advanced to the next stage in the process.
