SB 249

Currently, the technical college system is managed on the local level by district

boards consisting of nine members in each of the state's 16 technical college districts.

The members of the technical college district board for each district are appointed

by an appointment committee consisting of local elected officials in accordance with

a representation plan based upon population distribution within the district,

including distribution of women and minorities. All members of district boards must

be residents of the district. Two members must be employers and two members must

be employees. One member must be a school district administrator of a school

district that lies within the technical college district. All members serve for

three-year terms.

This bill provides for the election of all members of district boards from election

districts within each technical college district on a nonpartisan ballot at the spring

election. Each member must be an elector of the election district from which he or

she is elected. Terms are changed to four years. Under the bill, current district board

members serve until July 1, 2011, at which time district board members who are

elected at the 2011 spring election take office. The terms of the members are

staggered so that at least two are elected every year. Nomination paper signature

requirements, contribution limits, and spending guidelines are the same as for the

office of representative to the assembly. Candidates for the district board are not

eligible to receive public grants to finance their campaigns.