1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA |
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2| 1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023) |
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3|SENATE JOINT |
|RESOLUTION 3 By: Kirt |
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6| AS INTRODUCED |
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7| A Joint Resolution directing the Secretary of State |
| to refer to the people for their approval or |
8| rejection a proposed amendment to Section 26 of |
| Article X of the Oklahoma Constitution; reducing the |
9| threshold to approve school district indebtedness; |
| updating constitutional reference; providing ballot |
10| title; and directing filing. |
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12|BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE AND THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE |
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13|1ST SESSION OF THE 59TH OKLAHOMA LEGISLATURE: |
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14| SECTION 1. The Secretary of State shall refer to the people for |
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15|their approval or rejection, as and in the manner provided by law, |
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16|the following proposed amendment to Section 26 of Article X of the |
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17|Oklahoma Constitution to read as follows: |
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18| Section 26. (a) Except as herein otherwise provided, no |
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19|county, city, town, township, school district, or other political |
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20|corporation, or subdivision of the state, shall be allowed to become |
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21|indebted, in any manner, or for any purpose, to an amount exceeding, |
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22|in any year, the income and revenue provided for such year without |
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23|the assent of three-fifths of the voters thereof of the county, |
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24|city, town, township, or other political corporation or subdivision |
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1|of the state or the assent of a majority of the voters of the school |
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2|district, voting at an election, to be held for that purpose, nor, |
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3|in cases requiring such assent, shall any indebtedness be allowed to |
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4|be incurred to an amount, including existing indebtedness, in the |
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5|aggregate exceeding five percent (5%) of the valuation of the |
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6|taxable property therein, to be ascertained from the last assessment |
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7|for state and county purposes previous to the incurring of such |
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8|indebtedness: Provided, that if a school district has an absolute |
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9|need therefor, such district may, with the assent of three-fifths of |
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10|the voters thereof voting at an election to be held for that |
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11|purpose, incur indebtedness to an amount, including existing |
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12|indebtedness, in the aggregate exceeding five percent (5%) but not |
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13|exceeding ten percent (10%) of the valuation of the taxable property |
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14|therein, to be ascertained from the last assessment for state and |
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15|county purposes previous to the incurring of such indebtedness, for |
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16|the purpose of acquiring or improving school sites, constructing, |
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17|repairing, remodeling or equipping buildings, or acquiring school |
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18|furniture, fixtures, or equipment; and such assent to such |
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19|indebtedness shall be deemed to be a sufficient showing of such |
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20|absolute need, unless otherwise provided by law. Provided further, |
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21|that if a city or town has an absolute need therefor, such city or |
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22|town may, with the assent of three-fifths of the voters thereof |
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23|voting at an election to be held for that purpose, incur |
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24|indebtedness to an amount, including existing indebtedness, in the |
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1|aggregate exceeding five percent (5%) but not exceeding ten percent |
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2|(10%) of the valuation of the taxable property therein, to be |
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3|ascertained from the last assessment for state and county purposes |
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4|previous to the incurring of such indebtedness, and such assent to |
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5|such indebtedness shall be deemed to be a sufficient showing of such |
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6|absolute need unless otherwise provided by law. Provided, further, |
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7|that any county, city, town, school district, or other political |
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8|corporation, or subdivision of the state, incurring any indebtedness |
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9|requiring the assent of the voters as aforesaid, shall, before or at |
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10|the time of doing so, provide for the collection of an annual tax |
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11|sufficient to pay the interest on such indebtedness as it falls due, |
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12|and also to constitute a sinking fund for the payment of the |
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13|principal thereof within twenty-five (25) years from the time of |
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14|contracting the same, and provided further that nothing in this |
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15|section shall prevent, under such conditions and limitations as |
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16|shall be prescribed by law, any school district from contracting |
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17|with: |
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18| (1) certificated personnel for periods extending one (1) year |
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19|beyond the current fiscal year; or |
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20| (2) a school superintendent for periods extending more than one |
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21|(1) year, but not to exceed three (3) years beyond the current |
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22|fiscal year. |
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23| (b) If a county approves an exemption of household goods of the |
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24|heads of families and livestock employed in support of the family |
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1|from ad valorem taxation pursuant to the provisions of subsection |
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2|(b) B of Section 6 of this article, the percentage limitations on |
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3|indebtedness as specified in subsection (a) of this section for |
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4|political subdivisions or political corporations located in any such |
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5|county shall be adjusted by multiplying the percentage levels |
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6|specified in subsection (a) of this section by the millage |
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7|adjustment factor as specified in subsection (b) of Section 8A of |
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8|this article. |
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9| (c) If approved by the people, the amendment to this section |
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10|shall become effective January 1, 1993. |
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11| SECTION 2. The Ballot Title for the proposed Constitutional |
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12|amendment as set forth in SECTION 1 of this resolution shall be in |
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13|the following form: |
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14| BALLOT TITLE |
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15|Legislative Referendum No. ____ State Question No. ____ |
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16|THE GIST OF THE PROPOSITION IS AS FOLLOWS: |
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17| This measure amends Section 26 of Article 10 of the Oklahoma |
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18| Constitution. This measure would allow a school district to |
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19| become indebted upon approval of a majority of the voters of the |
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20| school district, rather than the approval of three-fifths of the |
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21| voters of the school district. |
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22| SHALL THE PROPOSAL BE APPROVED? |
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23| FOR THE PROPOSAL YES _____________ |
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24| AGAINST THE PROPOSAL NO _____________ |
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1| SECTION 3. The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall, |
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2|immediately after the passage of this resolution, prepare and file |
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3|one copy thereof, including the Ballot Title set forth in SECTION 2 |
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4|hereof, with the Secretary of State and one copy with the Attorney |
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5|General. |
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7| 59-1-1415 EB 1/3/2023 3:43:14 PM |
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