2020 Arkansas Code
Title 6 - Education
Subtitle 2 - Elementary and Secondary Education Generally
Chapter 20 - Finances
Subchapter 4 - District Finances
§ 6-20-402. Limitation on current indebtedness — Postdated warrants and installment contracts — Liability

(a)

1. (1)

   1. (A) The amount of obligations incurred by a school district for any school fiscal year shall not be in excess of the revenue receipts of the district for that year except as provided in this section and in § 6-20-801 et seq.

   2. (B) A school district or public charter school may enter into public-private partnerships whereby the school district or public charter school enters into a lease-purchase agreement for the acquisition or construction of a school building or related facilities built or acquired by the private entities with facilities bonds exempt from federal taxes under 26 U.S.C. § 142(a)(13), as it existed on January 1, 2003, or otherwise exempt under 26 U.S.C. § 103, as it existed on January 1, 2005.

2. (2) A school district may issue postdated warrants or enter into installment contracts or short-term lease-purchase agreements for the following purposes:

   1. (A) Purchase of school buses;

   2. (B) Payment of premiums of insurance policies on school buildings, facilities, and equipment in instances in which the insurance coverage extends three (3) years or longer;

   3. (C)

      1. (i) Purchase of equipment.

      2. (ii) However, purchase of equipment does not include separate equipment service agreements, equipment repair contracts, or extended warranties for the equipment;

   4. (D) Installation or purchase, or both, of energy conservation measures in school facilities;

   5. (E) Construction, repair, and renovation of school facilities;

   6. (F) Purchase of school sites;

   7. (G) Payment on loans secured for settlement resulting from litigation against a school district;

   8. (H) Payment of the district's pro rata part of employing professional appraisers as authorized by laws providing for the appraisal or reappraisal and assessment of property for ad valorem tax purposes; and

   9. (I) The professional development and training of teachers or other programs authorized under the federally recognized qualified zone academy bond program codified at 26 U.S.C. § 1397E [repealed].

3. (3) School districts may issue postdated warrants or enter into installment contracts or lease-purchase agreements in an amount sufficient to accomplish the purposes listed in subdivision (a)(2) of this section and to pay the costs of issuing the postdated warrants or entering into the installment contracts or lease-purchase agreements.

(b)

1. (1)

   1. (A) Except as provided in subdivisions (b)(1)(B) and (C) of this section, a postdated warrant, a short-term lease-purchase agreement, or an installment contract must be paid within ten (10) years of the date of issuance of the postdated warrant or the execution of the written lease-purchase agreement or installment contract, as the case may be.

   2. (B)

      1. (i) A school district's acquisition of energy conservation measures under § 6-20-405 may be financed by the school district over a twenty-year period after the execution by the school district of the postdated warrant, lease-purchase agreement, or installment contract.

      2. (ii) However, no financing shall exceed the reasonably expected useful life of the energy facilities or equipment subject to the energy savings contract in favor of either a qualified provider or a third-party financing company designated by a qualified provider.

   3. (C) A long-term lease-purchase agreement allowed under subdivision (a)(1)(B) of this section:

      1. (i) Shall be paid within thirty (30) years of the date of the execution of the written lease-purchase agreement; and

      2. (ii)

         1. (a) May contain a provision allowing the school district an option to terminate the agreement at the end of any fiscal year for the school district.

         2. (b)

            1. (1) Any long-term lease containing an option to terminate at the end of a fiscal year shall not be included in the calculation of the debt ratio applicable to that school district.

            2. (2) Any long-term lease allowed under subdivision (a)(1)(B) of this section that does not contain an option to terminate at the end of the fiscal year shall be included in the calculation of the debt ratio applicable to that school district.

      3. (iii) All school buildings or related facilities shall comply with the requirements of the Arkansas School Facilities Manual in effect at the time the lease became effective.

   4. (D)

      1. (i) A school district may sublease a portion of a school building or facility whenever that building or facility is not being used for educational purposes.

      2. (ii) Rent received from a sublease:

         1. (a) Shall be deposited into the school district's general fund; and

         2. (b) May be used for any operational or capital purpose.

   5. (E) Postdated warrants, lease-purchase agreements, and installment contracts must be registered on forms provided or approved by the State Board of Education with the treasurer of the district and the state board.

2. (2)

   1. (A) A lease-purchase agreement, postdated warrant, and installment contract must have attached thereto a schedule of the rent or installments to be paid, showing:

      1. (i) The payee and any assignee;

      2. (ii) The school district;

      3. (iii) The purpose of the purchase or payment;

      4. (iv) The due date of each installment; and

      5. (v) The amount of principal and interest of each installment and the fiscal year in which the installment is to be paid.

   2. (B) A copy of each contract and of the schedule of payments shall be filed with the treasurer of the district and with the state board, and when so filed, each installment may be paid as it becomes due.

3. (3)

   1. (A) Except as provided in subdivision (b)(3)(B) of this section, the unpaid principal amount of postdated warrants issued and installment contracts and lease-purchase agreements entered into shall be a part of the total debt of the district as limited by § 6-20-803 with the district fiscal officer and his or her surety liable for exceeding the limitations.

   2. (B) The unpaid principal amount of postdated warrants, lease-purchase agreements, or installment contracts entered into in connection with a guaranteed energy savings contract under § 6-20-405 shall not be a part of the total debt of the district.

4. (4) A copy of any guaranteed energy savings contract that is executed in connection with the acquisition, installation, or construction of energy conservation measures under this section shall be filed with the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education.

5. (5) Payments by a school district pursuant to postdated warrants, installment contracts, and lease-purchase agreements shall be charged against the budget of the school fiscal year in which they become due and shall be paid out of the revenue receipts for that fiscal year.

6. (6) All warrants issued or installment contracts and lease-purchase agreements entered into in excess of the revenue of a school district for a school fiscal year are null and void except as provided in this section.

7. (7)

   1. (A) It shall be the duty of the school fiscal officer to indicate on each school district warrant or on the schedule of payments attached to a written installment contract or lease-purchase agreement the school year's revenues against which the obligation was incurred and is to be paid.

   2. (B) It shall be unlawful for the school fiscal officer to issue a school district warrant or to enter into an installment contract or lease-purchase agreement the installments for which are to be charged against the revenues of a school year if the obligation thereof was incurred in a different school year except as otherwise authorized in this section.

8. (8) The school fiscal officer may comply with the provisions of this section by indicating on each warrant or schedule of payments attached to any installment contract or lease-purchase agreement the school year's revenues against which each payment is to be charged, or he or she may use a warrant of a distinct color for a particular year and shall advise the county treasurer, if the county treasurer serves as the school district treasurer, in writing of the color of warrant being used for credit against the revenues of a particular year.

9. (9) The county treasurer, or the district treasurer if the school district has its own treasurer, and his or her surety shall be jointly liable with the school fiscal officer and his or her surety for the payment of any school warrant or payment on a contract or agreement that is charged against the revenues of a school year if the amount thereof is in excess of the revenue receipts of the district for the school year against which the school fiscal officer has indicated the payment is to be charged or if he or she approved the payment with knowledge that the payment is being charged by the school fiscal officer against the revenues of another school year in violation of this section.

10. (10) It is the purpose and intent of this section to place primary responsibility on the school fiscal officer and his or her surety for compliance with the provisions of this section and to make the county treasurer, or district treasurer if the school district has its own treasurer, and his or her surety liable for any payment on a warrant, contract, or agreement drawn in violation of this section when the amount of the payment exceeds the revenue receipts of the district for the school year against which it is charged as indicated on the warrant, contract, or agreement or when the county treasurer approves a payment with the knowledge that it is in payment of an obligation of a different school year as prohibited in this section.

(c)

1. (1) A school district may refinance one (1) or more outstanding postdated warrants, lease-purchase agreements, or installment contracts and pay the usual, customary, and reasonable costs of the refinancing by issuing one (1) postdated warrant, lease-purchase agreement, or installment contract if the refinancing:

   1. (A)

      1. (i) Results in a net savings to the school district.

      2. (ii) A net savings results if the outstanding principal balance plus the remaining interest payments and any early call penalties are greater than the new principal balance plus the total interest to be paid and the cost of the refinancing of the outstanding postdated warrant, lease-purchase agreement, or installment contract;

   2. (B) Does not extend the term of the postdated warrant, lease-purchase agreement, or installment contract more than five (5) years beyond the term of the existing individual outstanding postdated warrants, lease-purchase agreements, or installment contracts, and if the original term together with any extension does not exceed ten (10) years;

   3. (C) Does not increase the outstanding debt owed by the school district under the existing outstanding postdated warrants, lease-purchase agreements, or installment contracts except to the extent necessary to cover usual, customary, and reasonable costs of issuance of the new refunding postdated warrant, lease-purchase agreement, or installment contract and except to the extent necessary for new financing as authorized by subsection (a) of this section;

   4. (D)

      1. (i) Except as allowed under subdivision (c)(1)(D)(ii) of this section, the outstanding postdated warrants, lease-purchase agreements, or installment contracts have not been previously refinanced.

      2. (ii) Any outstanding postdated warrants, lease-purchase agreements, or installment contracts may be refinanced more than one (1) time if:

         1. (a) The school district realizes a savings from the refinancing;

         2. (b) The term of the debt obligation is not extended; and

         3. (c) The refinancing does not increase the total debt obligation of the school district; and

   5. (E) The school district obtains the prior written approval of the division to refinance one (1) or more outstanding postdated warrants, lease-purchase agreements, or installment contracts.

2. (2) The state board may promulgate rules as necessary to implement subdivision (c)(1) of this section.

(d)

1. (1) A school district may incur current indebtedness and issue its notes or other evidence thereof as provided in this subsection.

2. (2) All current indebtedness incurred in a fiscal year shall mature on or before December 31 of the calendar year in which the fiscal year ends.

3. (3) Current indebtedness is not included in the term “bonded indebtedness” and shall not be considered a part of the total debt of a district as limited by § 6-20-803.

4. (4) Current indebtedness shall be payable from and may be secured by a pledge of all or any part of the revenue receipts of the issuing district for the fiscal year in which the debt is incurred.

5. (5) The amount of obligations incurred by a school district for any school fiscal year, including current indebtedness, shall not be in excess of the revenue receipts of the district for that year except as expressly authorized in subsection (a) of this section.

6. (6) Upon incurring current indebtedness, the school district shall notify the division of the indebtedness, on forms provided by the division, showing the:

   1. (A) Payee and any assignee;

   2. (B) School district;

   3. (C) Purpose of the indebtedness;

   4. (D) Maturity date of the indebtedness;

   5. (E) Amount borrowed and interest rate of indebtedness; and

   6. (F) Amortization schedule showing installments, if applicable.

(e)

1. (1)

   1. (A)

      1. (i) Except as provided in subdivision (e)(1)(B) of this section, as additional security for the payment of any postdated warrant, installment contract, lease-purchase agreement, or current indebtedness of a school district authorized under subdivision (a)(2) of this section, the district may authorize the state board to cure any delinquencies of the school district by withholding state foundation funding due the district.

      2. (ii) Authorization shall be given by the school district at the time that the postdated warrant, installment contract, or lease-purchase agreement is issued or the current indebtedness authorized under subdivision (a)(2) of this section is incurred and shall be given in the manner and in the form that the state board shall prescribe.

   2. (B) A school district may not authorize the state board to cure and the state board shall not cure any delinquencies of the district in contracts or extended warranties on equipment by withholding state foundation funding due the district.

2. (2)

   1. (A) If a school district has authorized withholding of its state foundation funding under subdivision (e)(1)(A) of this section and the school district has failed to pay the payee or paying agent amounts due under a postdated warrant, installment contract, or lease-purchase agreement described in subdivision (a)(2) of this section, the payee or paying agent shall be entitled to payment from the school district's withheld state foundation funding if the payee or paying agent:

      1. (i) Obtains a final judgment establishing the payee's or paying agent's right to payment from the school district under a postdated warrant, installment contract, or lease-purchase agreement described in subdivision (a)(2) of this section; and

      2. (ii) Submits a written request for payment of the amount of the unpaid judgment and a certified copy of the final judgment to the Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education and the superintendent of the school district.

   2. (B)

      1. (i) Except as provided in subdivision (e)(1)(B) of this section, unless the superintendent of the school district certifies in writing to the commissioner that payment has been made by the district to the payee or the paying agent and the judgment has been paid in full, the commissioner shall withhold from the next distribution to the school district of state foundation funding and remit to the payee or paying agent an amount sufficient to pay the judgment amount.

      2. (ii) If the amount withheld under subdivision (e)(2)(B)(i) of this section is insufficient to pay the judgment in full, the commissioner shall continue withholding subsequent distributions of state foundation funding to the school district until the superintendent certifies to the commissioner that the judgment is paid in full.

3. (3) In the event that the amount next due to be distributed to the delinquent district is not sufficient to cure the delinquency, the commissioner shall continue to withhold state aid as due and remit it to the payee or paying agent until the payment deficiency has been cured.

4. (4) If the commissioner is notified that a district is delinquent on two (2) or more obligations for which a district has authorized withholding of state aid to cure a delinquency, the commissioner shall make payment to payees or paying agents in the order of receipt of notices of the delinquencies.

(f) If the state board withholds state aid from a school district under subsection (e) of this section, the school district shall be identified by the division to be a school district in fiscal distress under § 6-20-1906.

(g) Any duties required of any officer of the state pursuant to subsection (e) of this section shall be only ministerial in nature and shall in no way transfer any liability of the debtor to the state or any agency or any officer thereof.

(h) The rate of interest on postdated warrants, installment contracts, lease-purchase agreements, and current indebtedness shall not exceed the maximum interest rate for school bonds as determined under § 6-20-1206.