Whenever a school district receives or has received an apportionment for or toward the purchase or improvement of realty or personalty (hereafter referred to as “property”) and within five years from the date of the written authorization from a duly authorized representative of the board for the expenditure therefor from state funds or from contributable district funds, sells, leases, exchanges or otherwise disposes of the property or any portion thereof without the consent of the board, the board may demand the return of the state apportionment or the portion thereof it deems proper, plus accrued interest at the prescribed rate, less any repayment made prior to the demand by the district on account of the apportionment. A district may not at any time while an apportionment remains unpaid or noncanceled, dispose of any property acquired therefrom without the consent of the board, excepting transfers provided for by Article 15 (commencing with Section 17556) of Chapter 3 of Part 23 and existing improvements on an acquired site. The consent may be subject to the conditions as may be imposed, which may include the application of the consideration received in reduction of any apportionments previously made to the district. Any property into which the consideration from the disposition is converted shall be and remain the property of the state as if an apportionment had originally been authorized therefor.

Whenever, in the judgment of the board, a district fails to use property for the purpose or purposes for which an apportionment has been made, within not less than one nor more than five years from the aforesaid authorization, as the board shall determine, the board may demand back the return of the apportionment, or portion thereof, with interest, as specified in the preceding paragraph. The board’s interpretation of the “use” in any instance, and whether or not the district has complied therewith, shall be conclusive upon the district affected after a hearing and finding of the board. In addition to the foregoing, the board may at any time subsequent to the expiration of the last mentioned period, while an apportionment remains unpaid or uncanceled, determine that a site or portion thereof, purchased in whole or in part with the apportionment is not being used for the purpose or purposes for which the apportionment was made, which determination shall be conclusive upon the district after a hearing and finding of the board. Pursuant to that determination, the board may direct the sale or other disposition of the site or portion thereof by the state or by the district and apply the proceeds, after deducting expenses it determines necessary to facilitate the disposition, in reduction of the apportionment, plus accrued interest. Any excess shall be applied in reduction of any other unpaid or noncanceled apportionments, plus interest, as the board shall direct, any remaining proceeds thereafter being payable to the district. For the purposes of the determination of disposition, the district shall, whenever directed by the board, convey record title to the site or portion thereof to the state or do any other acts deemed necessary by the board to facilitate the disposition or implement the terms thereof. Any disposition authorized to be made hereunder by the district shall be made in accordance with the procedure prescribed by this code for the disposition of unneeded school property, otherwise as directed by the board, provided that the consideration to be received shall be subject to the approval of the board or its delegate for that purpose.

Written notice of any demand prescribed by this section, setting forth the amount due the state pursuant thereto, shall be furnished by the board to the governing board of the school district, the county superintendent of schools, the county auditor, the county treasurer of the county whose county has jurisdiction over the school district, and the Controller. Upon receipt of the notice and demand, the governing board of the school district shall order the county treasurer to pay to the Treasurer, out of any moneys in the county treasury available to the school district for that purpose, the amount set forth in the notice. The amount shall, upon order of the Controller, be deposited in the State Treasury to the credit of the State School Building Aid Fund, to be reapportioned by the board.

Whenever a school district receives or has received an apportionment under this chapter for the purchase of a site which contains existing improvements, the board may require the district to dispose of the existing improvements as a condition of receiving an apportionment in the manner as the board deems proper, and contribute the net proceeds therefrom or the value of any consideration received therefor, in reduction of any apportionment. In the event that the district is not so required to dispose of the existing improvements but after receiving the apportionment subsequently disposes thereof, the net proceeds therefrom or the value of the consideration received therefor, shall be contributed by the district in reduction of any remaining indebtedness to the state under this chapter or Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 15700).

Where a district has been unable to use any building site acquired by an apportionment under this chapter because of the delay of the board in acting upon its application for an apportionment for the planning and construction of school buildings on the site, the board may withhold demand for repayment of the apportionment for the building site for a period of not less than one or more than three years after approval of the apportionment for planning and construction.

It shall be the duty of the governing body and county treasurer to make the payments to the Treasurer as provided in this section, and it shall be the duty of the Controller to enforce the collection on behalf of the state.

Whenever the consent of the board is required in this section, it may be given by written authorization of its authorized representative for that purpose. The provisions of this section, including the term “apportionment” or “apportionments,” shall be deemed to be applicable to apportionments heretofore or hereafter made under this chapter or Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 15700).

(Repealed and added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 277, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1997. Operative January 1, 1998.)