Section 3313.488 - School district fiscal statement(A) Within fifteen days after the date the director of education and workforce issues an order under section 3313.487 of the Revised Code making a school district subject to this section, the district's board of education shall prepare a fiscal statement of expenses and expenditures for the remainder of the current fiscal year. The fiscal statement shall be submitted to the department of education and workforce and shall set forth all revenues to be received by the district during the remainder of the fiscal year and their sources, the expenses to be incurred by the district during the remainder of the fiscal year, the outstanding and unpaid expenses at the time the fiscal statement is prepared and the date or dates by which such expenses must be paid, and such other information as the director requires to enable the department of education and workforce to ensure that during the remainder of the fiscal year, the district will not incur any expenses that will further impair its ability to operate an instructional program that meets or exceeds the minimum standards of the director and requirements of the Revised Code during the current and ensuing fiscal years with the revenue available to it from existing revenue sources. The fiscal statement shall be presented in such detail and form as the department prescribes. Beginning the tenth day after the fiscal statement is submitted and for the remainder of the fiscal year, the board shall not make any expenditure of money, make any employment, purchase, or rental contract, give any order involving the expenditure of money, or increase any wage or salary schedule unless the director has approved the fiscal statement in writing and the expenditure, contract, order, or schedule has been approved in writing by the director as being in conformity with the fiscal statement. Any contract or expenditure made, order given, or schedule adopted or put into effect without the written approval of the director is void, and no warrant shall be issued in payment of any amount due thereon.
(B) A board of education subject to division (A) of this section shall prepare a fiscal statement of expenses and expenditures for the ensuing fiscal year. The fiscal statement shall be submitted to the director and shall set forth all revenues to be received by the district during such year and their source, the expenses to be incurred by the district during such year, the outstanding and unpaid expenses on the first day of such fiscal year, the date or dates by which such expenses must be paid, and such other information as the department requires to enable the department to ensure that during such year, the district will not incur any expenses that will further impair its ability to operate an instructional program that meets or exceeds the minimum standards of the director and requirements of the Revised Code during such year with the revenue available to it from existing revenue sources. The fiscal statement shall be presented at the time and in such detail and form as the department prescribes. During the fiscal year following the year in which a board of education first becomes subject to division (A) of this section it shall not make any expenditure of money, make any employment, purchase, or rental contract, give any order involving the expenditure of money, or increase any wage or salary schedule unless the director has approved the fiscal statement submitted under this division in writing and has approved the expenditure, contract, order, or schedule in writing as being in conformity with the fiscal statement. Any contract or expenditure made, order given, or schedule adopted or put into effect without the written approval of the director is void, and no warrant shall be issued in payment of any amount due thereon.
(C) The department shall examine any fiscal statement presented to and approved by it under division (B) of this section and shall determine whether the data set forth in the fiscal statement are factual and based upon assumptions that in its judgment are reasonable expectations consistent with acceptable governmental budget and accounting practices. If the department so determines and finds that the revenues and expenditures in the fiscal statement are in balance for the fiscal year and the fiscal statement will enable the district to operate during such year without interrupting its school calendar, it shall certify its determination and finding to the district at least thirty days prior to the beginning of the fiscal year, and the district shall thereupon cease to be subject to this section. If the department does not make such a determination and finding, the board of education and school district are subject to this division and division (B) of this section in the ensuing fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter until the department makes a determination, finding, and certification under this division.(D) Any officer, employee, or other person who knowingly expends or authorizes the expenditure of any public funds or knowingly authorizes or executes any contract, order, or schedule contrary to division (A) or (B) of this section or who knowingly expends or authorizes the expenditure of any public funds on any such void contract, order, or schedule is jointly and severally liable in person and upon any official bond that the officer, employee, or other person has given to such school district to the extent of any payments on the void claim, not to exceed twenty thousand dollars. The attorney general at the written request of the department shall enforce this liability by civil action brought in any court of appropriate jurisdiction in the name of and on behalf of the school district.(E) This section does not apply to a school district declared to be under a fiscal emergency pursuant to division (B) of section 3316.03 of the Revised Code.Amended by 135th General Assembly, HB 33,§130.100, eff. 10/3/2023.Amended by 134th General Assembly, HB 110,§101.01, eff. 9/30/2021.Amended by 130th General Assembly, HB 59,§101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.Effective Date: 06-20-1996 .