Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 20.

This bill revises certain provisions regarding the sale of surplus property by local school systems, as discussed below.<br /> <br /> Present law requires that surplus property in local school systems be sold or transferred to a local government within 90 days of its being declared surplus. Surplus property is personal property no longer having an intended use by the system or no longer capable of being used because of its condition. <br /> <br /> Under present law, surplus property must be sold to the highest bidder after advertising in a newspaper of general circulation at least seven days prior to the sale. The property may be sold by internet auction, which may be through a website maintained by the LEA or the local government. If the property is to be sold by internet auction, the sale must be advertised in a newspaper of general circulation, and the advertisement must include the internet website address and other necessary information concerning the sale.<br /> <br /> This bill deletes the requirement that surplus property be sold within 90 days of its being declared surplus, and does not specify a time period within which surplus property is to be sold. This bill adds advertising on the LEA's website as an alternative to advertising in a newspaper of general circulation. This bill requires that the advertisement include the instructions for bidding, and specifies that property may be sold by internet action or by in-person bidding.<br /> <br /> Under present law:<br /> <br /> (1) Surplus personal property in local school systems that has no value or has a value less than $250 may be disposed of without the necessity of bids; and<br /> (2) In order for disposal without bids, the principal of the school with the surplus personal property, the director of schools of the local school system and the chair of the local board of education must all agree in written form that the property is of no value or is of a value less than $250.<br /> <br /> This bill:<br /> <br /> (A) Changes the threshold dollar amount described above from $250 to $500;<br /> (B) In regard to (1) above, specifies that such disposal may be by any means deemed appropriate by the executive committee of the local board of education; and<br /> (C) In regard to (2) above, requires that the executive committee (instead of the principal, director of schools, and board chair) agree in regard to the value of the property.<br /> <br /> Present law authorizes an LEA to donate computers that have been removed from inventory in its schools to low-income families in the school district. This bill adds that an LEA may also dispose of computers by selling the computers back, or by trading them in, to a computer vendor or manufacturer, for the purpose of purchasing new computers, without receiving bids on the computers.<br /> <br /> ON APRIL 24, 2019, THE HOUSE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2 AND PASSED HOUSE BILL 207, AS AMENDED.<br /> <br /> AMENDMENT #2 removes this bill's provision providing advertising on the LEA's website as an alternative to advertising in a newspaper. This amendment maintains the present law requirement to advertise the sale of surplus property in a newspaper, even for a sale by internet auction.<br /> <br /> This amendment clarifies that the surplus property may be sold to the highest bidder through an internet auction website used by the LEA, the local government, or the state. Such an internet auction must be open for bidding for at least seven days.<br /> <br />