2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 20. Education › Chapter 9. Finance › Part 3. Funding of Basic System of Quality Public Schools › 20-9-353. Over-BASE budget levy -- election for authorization to impose

20-9-353. Over-BASE budget levy -- election for authorization to impose.
(1) The trustees of a district may propose to adopt an over-BASE budget amount for the district general fund that does not exceed the general fund budget limitations, as provided in 20-9-308. If the trustees of a district are required to submit to the electors of the district a proposition to finance an increase in the over-BASE budget amount pursuant to 20-9-308, the trustees shall comply with the provisions of subsections (2) through (4) of this section.
(2) When the trustees of the district propose to adopt an over-BASE budget under subsection (1), any increase in local property taxes authorized by 20-9-308(4) over revenue previously authorized by the electors of the district or imposed by the district in any of the previous 5 years must be submitted to a vote of the qualified electors of the district, as provided in 15-10-425. The trustees are not required to submit to the qualified electors any increase in state funding of the basic or per-ANB entitlements or of the general fund payments established in 20-9-327 through 20-9-330 approved by the legislature. When the trustees of a district determine that a voted amount of financing is required for the general fund budget, the trustees shall submit the proposition to finance the voted amount to the electors who are qualified under 20-20-301 to vote upon the proposition. The election must be called and conducted in the manner prescribed by this title for school elections and must conform to the requirements of 15-10-425. The ballot for the election must conform to the requirements of 15-10-425.
(3) If the proposition for an increase in the over-BASE budget levy for the general fund is approved by a majority vote of the electors voting at the election, the proposition carries and the trustees may use any portion or all of the authorized amount in adopting the final general fund budget. The trustees shall certify any over-BASE budget levy amount authorized by the election on the budget form that is submitted to the county superintendent, and the county commissioners shall levy the authorized number of mills on the taxable value of all taxable property within the district, as prescribed in 20-9-141.
(4) All levies adopted under this section must be authorized by the election conducted before August 1 of the school fiscal year for which it is effective.
History: En. 75-6923 by Sec. 273, Ch. 5, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 83, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 355, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 214, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 230, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 346, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 454, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 75-6923; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 72, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 75, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 110, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 338, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 42, Ch. 11, Sp. L. June 1989; amd. Sec. 29, Ch. 767, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 29, Ch. 633, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 266, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 211, L. 1997; amd. Secs. 7, 10(2), Ch. 514, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 27, Ch. 495, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 16, Ch. 462, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 173, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 17, Ch. 418, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 640, L. 2023.