Sec. 3.
The principal and interest on any issue of school district bonds issued prior to May 4, 1955, shall be automatically included in computing the amount to be loaned by the state under said section 27 and this act, but the principal and interest on any issue of school district bonds issued on or after May 4, 1955, shall not be included in making such computation, unless the said bonds have been qualified therefor by the superintendent of public instruction, which bonds, including both those automatically qualified and those qualified by the superintendent of public instruction, are sometimes hereinafter referred to as "qualified bonds". No issue of bonds shall be qualified by the superintendent of public instruction unless he shall find as follows, to-wit:
1. That the last maturity date on such issue of bonds is not less than 25 years from the issuance date appearing thereon and that the yearly principal maturity date is not less than 6 months after the major part of the taxes therefor become by law a lien upon the property assessed.
2. That the amount of principal maturing in any calendar year is not less than two-thirds of the amount of principal maturing in any prior calendar year.
3. That the cost of the project for which the bonds are to be issued is within such reasonable standards of costs as shall have been established by the state board of education, which standards may vary as to different localities in accordance with any variance in construction costs as between such localities.
4. That the project is designed to provide classrooms and furnishings, with the facilities necessarily connected therewith, including site, and is adequate for that purpose. A classroom is a room primarily used for teaching courses of study. Without limiting the foregoing, swimming pools, athletic fields and athletic stadiums shall not be deemed to be classrooms or primarily used for teaching courses of study. In addition, gymnasiums and auditoriums shall not be deemed to be classrooms except in those cases in which the school district provides adequate proof that the gymnasium and/or auditorium is necessary and will be used primarily for regularly scheduled instructional purposes.
5. That there exists a need for the project based upon current and probable future enrollment.
6. That there is reasonable evidence that the project will not hinder school district reorganization in the area in the foreseeable future.
7. That the project shall be for the purpose of construction of 6 or more classrooms, unless the superintendent of public instruction shall determine and certify that circumstances of location, or topography, or transportation, or population density are clearly such as to warrant construction of a school building or addition of a lesser number of classrooms.
Provided, That if any project shall exceed the above limitations as to cost and/or purpose, the bonds therefor may be qualified by the superintendent of public instruction to the extent of that percentage which represents the percentage of the project cost which is within such limitations. If the superintendent of public instruction shall find as aforesaid, then he shall issue his certificate setting forth such findings and certifying that the bonds, or such percentage thereof, are qualified under the terms of said section 27 and this act, and that the minimum amount necessary to be levied in any calendar year for principal and interest on the bonds or such portion as may be qualified after deducting any funds pledged to and available for the payment thereof, shall be included in computing the amount, if any, to be loaned by the state under said section 27 and this act. In the case of refunding bonds issued on or after May 4, 1955, to refund bonds issued prior to May 4, 1955, the superintendent of public instruction shall issue his certificate of qualification if he finds that such refunding bonds comply with the qualifications set forth in paragraphs numbered 1 and 2 of this section.
In the case of refunding bonds to refund obligations originally incurred on or after May 4, 1955, the superintendent of public instruction shall not issue his certificate of qualification therefor unless the bonds representing the original indebtedness had been qualified by him. All such certificates shall be kept in a permanent file in the office of the superintendent of public instruction, and copies thereof shall be delivered to the school district and to the office of the municipal finance commission. Application for such a certificate of qualification shall be made on forms prepared and supplied by the superintendent of public instruction. He shall prescribe reasonable rules and regulations in respect thereto. If prior to the issuance of bonds, the school district does not secure such certificate of qualification from the superintendent of public instruction, it shall be deemed to have waived the right to have such bonds so qualified.
History: 1955, Act 151, Imd. Eff. June 7, 1955
Admin Rule: R 390.631 of the Michigan Administrative Code.