Marvin Mandel, Governor                        1305

Maryland each year in the manner and subject to the limitations
hereinafter provided an amount to be known as school building con-
struction aid which shall be calculated as follows:

(1)    The State shall share in an expenditure for school construc-
tion which shall equal 80 per cent of approved expenditures up to
$1,500 times the number of "pupils housed" in school buildings for
which construction contracts have been let [during the current fiscal
year] prior to February 1, 1971. For 1967-68 only, the product of
50 per cent of the number of kindergarten pupils enrolled as of
September 30, 1966, and $1,500 shall be added to the approved ex-
penditures in making this calculation. No moneys shall be paid by
the State pursuant to this paragraph for school buildings or improve-
ments for which contracts have been executed on or after February
1,1971.

(2)    The State shall also share in an amount equal to 80 per cent
of the principal and interest payments due during the current fiscal
year on local debt for school construction to house pupils, as defined
in paragraph [(5)] (4) of the subsection, outstanding or obligated
as of June 30, 1967, exclusive of any debt obligated for school con-
struction included in the provisions of subparagraph (1) of the sub-
section. "Local debt for school construction" as used in this para-
graph shall include any debt incurred as the result of moneys made
available to any political subdivision under any bond issue obligating
the credit of the State of Maryland. Beginning July 1, 1971, the
State shall reimburse the counties and Baltimore City for the full
costs of principal and interest payments on such debt outstanding
or obligated as of June 30, 1967, except in the case of General Public
School Construction Loan Debt outstanding or obligated as of June
80, 1967, for which repayment by the subdivisions shall no longer
be required.

(3)    The State percentage share shall be the same as that used
for the current expense incentive aid as defined in Section 129(2)
of this article. This percentage should be applied to the [sum of
the] amounts calculated in subparagraph[s] (1) [and (2)] of this
subsection to determine the State share.

[(4) In no event shall the State school building construction aid
for any county or Baltimore City for any school year be less than
the amount the county or Baltimore City would have received during
that year under the provisions of the incentive fund for school con-
struction program in effect in 1966-67.]

[(5)] (4) The State Department of Education shall develop and
the State Board of Education shall adopt specific regulations for the
administration of the school building construction aid program, in-
cluding the definition of the term "pupils housed" so as to determine
the number of equivalent "pupils housed" in any part of a school
construction project. Such definition shall include all pupils in grades
1 to 12 or in special programs for children within the age limit
prescribed in the law and 50 per cent of the pupils in kindergartens.

[(6)] (5) The State Superintendent of Schools shall approve
for each county and Baltimore City expenditures of funds for school
construction under the terms of subparagraphs (1) and (2) of this
subsection before including such amounts in the calculation of funds
due each county and Baltimore City.