Marvin Mandel, Governor                        1113

97.

The use of public school facilities for community purposes shall be
encouraged by the county boards of education. When written ap-
plication has been made to the superintendent of schools, the county
board shall provide for the use of the public school facilities for the
presentation and discussion of public questions, public speaking, lec-
tures, or for other civic, educational, social, or recreational pur-
poses or church affiliated civic purposes, provided, however, that

(a)   such gatherings or meetings shall be open to the public; and

(b)   the county board may refuse the use of any school facility
for the purposes stated above if it appears that such use may be
likely to provoke or add to a public riot or breach of the peace, or
create a clear and present danger to the peace and welfare of the
county of the State. The county board may permit a partisan politi-
cal organization which has polled ten percent or more of the en-
tire vote cast in the State in the last preceding general election to
use public school facilities for programs and meetings in relation
to a political campaign for nomination or election to public office
of any candidate or candidates. The county board of education is
hereby authorized to allow, at its discretion, the use of public school
facilities for religious purposes [upon the usual application and condi-
tions while buildings in which religious services are usually con-
ducted are being renovated, repaired, or built, provided the use
of such facilities is to be temporary only and shall cease as soon as
the buildings ordinarily used are renovated, repaired, or built] or
other lawful purposes. Said school facilities are to be used for any
of the purposes authorized by this section only at such times as
will not interfere with regular school sessions or other bona fide
school activities.

98.

The person or persons making application for the use of school
facilities [for a public meeting] shall be responsible for all dam-
age to the property [occurring at such meeting], ordinary wear
and tear excepted, and upon failure of the person or persons to re-
spond in damages for any such injury to the property, the county
board of education may refuse all future applications by said per-
son or persons for the use of the property until such injury is re-
paired, without expense to the board in charge of the property.
It shall be the duty of the person or persons making application for
the use of such school facilities [for a public meeting place] to
place the [said] facilities after said [meeting] use in as clean a
condition as [it was] they were before said [meeting] use, and
any failure upon the part of said person or persons, to whom per-
mission has been granted to [hold a meeting to place] use said
facilities [after said meeting] to leave them in as clean a condi-
tion as they were when said facilities were turned over to said per-
sons [for said meeting], will warrant said school authorities in
refusing to allow any further use of said facilities to the same parties.

A reasonable charge for heating, lighting, and janitorial services
for use of such facilities may be made.

Sec. 2. And be it further amended, That this Act shall take effect
July 1, 1970.

Approved April 28, 1970