PRESS RELEASE:

Today the Indiana House passed legislation co-authored by Rep. Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) that allows school corporations to sell unused or vacant buildings to outside entities after two years.

House Bill 1012 passed through the House and will now move to the Indiana Senate for consideration.

Under current law, public school corporations give charter schools a 48-month window to purchase a vacant or unused building. This legislation shortens the window to 24 months in order to prevent buildings from falling into decay.

According to GiaQuinta, the legislation spawned from an issue in East Allen County Schools in which the school was unable to sell an unused building to the Catholic school system due to fault in the law.

 “Charter schools often exist in more urban areas,” he explained. “Rural schools have a harder time selling their unused buildings, so this legislation helps speed up that process.”

For more information go to indianahousedemocrats.org.