§ 16-60-82 — Legislative Findings of Fact and Declaration of Intent

The Legislature hereby makes the following findings of fact and declares its intent to be as follows: The number of students enrolled in trade schools and colleges supported wholly or in part by the state has increased greatly during recent years. Further increases in enrollment are anticipated because of the increased rate of births, the increased need for skilled workers and other factors. In order to meet these needs and to provide residents of this state with the opportunity to receive adequate instruction in the arts and sciences and in useful skills and trades, it is imperative that junior colleges and additional trade schools be constructed, equipped and operated. The tax revenues and other funds currently available for trade schools and junior colleges are not sufficient to permit immediate outlays of the large amounts of capital necessary for such construction and equipment and at the same time to permit the State Board of Education to meet current expenses for operation and maintenance. The most feasible way in which the urgent need for the construction of buildings and the purchase of equipment can be met is by anticipating the receipt of a portion of the revenues devoted by law to educational institutions of the types known as trade schools and junior colleges by capitalizing such revenues, to the end that such revenues may be applied for retirement of the costs of such construction and equipment as such revenues are received during the useful life of said buildings and equipment. It is necessary and desirable that said revenues be anticipated in the manner hereinafter provided for the purpose of effecting the needed capital outlays. It is the intention of the Legislature by the passage of this article to authorize the formation of a public corporation for the purpose of providing for the construction and equipment of additional trade schools and junior colleges, and to make capital improvements at existing trade schools and at institutions of higher learning heretofore or hereafter established; and to authorize said corporation for that purpose to anticipate those portions of the privilege or excise tax hereinafter referred to that is required by law to be paid into the Education Trust Fund by issuing the bonds of said corporation payable out of and secured by a pledge of said portion of the said privilege or excise tax. This article shall be liberally construed in accordance with this intent.

Legislative History

(Act 1963, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 93, p. 259, §1.)