SB 1816

REFERENCE TITLE: school districts; optimal square footage
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
SB 1816
Introduced by
Senator
  Farnsworth
AN
ACT
amending title 15, chapter 4, article 5,
Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-492; amending title 41,
chapter 56, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 41-5702.01;
relating to school facilities.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 15, chapter 4, article 5,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-492, to read:
START_STATUTE15-492. Optimal square footage; election eligibility
Notwithstanding section 15-491, if the
ratio of a school district's optimal square footage to actual square footage of
all buildings that are owned by the school district, as calculated pursuant to
section 41-5702.01, is at least one hundred ten percent, the school
district governing board may not Call an election to either:
1. Determine whether bonds of the
school district may be issued and sold.
2. Change the list of capital
projects or the purposes authorized by prior voter approval to issue bonds. END_STATUTE
Sec. 2. Title 41, chapter 56, article 1,
Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 41-5702.01, to read:
START_STATUTE41-5702.01. School district buildings; optimal square footage; posting;
notification
A. On or before _____ of each year,
the board shall calculate the optimal square footage for each school district
in this state based on the number of students served by the school district and
grade configurations prescribed in section 41-5711, subsection
C. For the purpose of calculating the number of students served by
the school district, the board shall use the sum of the following:
1. The most recent average daily
membership data for the school district.
2. If a school district leases a
building or a portion of a building to a charter school or private school, the
student capacity of the building or the portion of the building.� The board may
include the student capacity of a leased building or portion of a building
pursuant to this paragraph only after verifying the lease.� The board shall
include the full student capacity of a leased building or portion of a building
pursuant to this paragraph without regard to whether the lease grants to the
lessee exclusive rights to use the school building or school facilities that
are the subject of the lease.
B. On or before _____ of each year,
the board shall:
1. Post on the board's website both
of the following:
(a) The optimal
square footage for each school district in this state calculated pursuant to
subsection A of this section.
(b) The ratio
of each school district's optimal square footage to actual square footage of
all buildings that are owned by the school district.
2. Submit to each county school
superintendent and county board of supervisors a notification that:
(a) Identifies
each school district in this state for which the ratio calculated pursuant to
paragraph 1, subdivision (b) of this subsection is at
least one hundred ten percent.
(b) Includes a
statement that any school district that is identified pursuant to subdivision (a) of this paragraph is ineligible to call a bond election pursuant to
title 15, chapter 4, article 5.� END_STATUTE