Sec. 5.6. (a) Each school corporation may elect to adopt a budget under this section that applies from July 1 of the year through June 30 of the following year. In the initial budget adopted by a school corporation under this section, the first six (6) months of that initial budget must be consistent with the last six (6) months of the budget adopted by the school corporation for the calendar year in which the school corporation elects by resolution to begin adopting budgets that correspond to the state fiscal year. A corporation shall submit a copy of the resolution to the department of local government finance and the department of education not more than thirty (30) days after the date the governing body adopts the resolution.

     (b) Before April 1 of each year, the officers of the school corporation shall meet to fix the budget for the school corporation for the ensuing budget year, with notice given by the same officers. The school corporation shall submit the information described in section 3(a) of this chapter to the department’s computer gateway at least ten (10) days before the meeting required by this subsection in the manner prescribed by the department. The department shall make this information available to taxpayers at least ten (10) days before the public hearing through its computer gateway, and provide a telephone number through which taxpayers may request mailed copies of a political subdivision’s information under this subsection. However, if a resolution adopted under subsection (d) is in effect, the officers shall meet to fix the budget for the ensuing budget year before November 1. A school corporation that adopts a resolution under subsection (d) shall submit the information described in section 3(a) of this chapter in the manner prescribed by that section.

     (c) A school corporation that adopts a budget as provided in this section shall file the budget adopted by the school corporation with the department of local government finance not later than five (5) business days after the budget is adopted under subsection (b). The filing with the department of local government finance must be in a manner prescribed by the department.

     (d) The governing body of the school corporation may adopt a resolution to cease using a school year budget year and return to using a calendar year budget year. A resolution adopted under this subsection must be adopted after January 1 and before July 1. The school corporation’s initial calendar year budget year following the adoption of a resolution under this subsection begins on January 1 of the year following the year the resolution is adopted. The first six (6) months of the initial calendar year budget for the school corporation must be consistent with the last six (6) months of the final school year budget fixed by the department of local government finance before the adoption of a resolution under this subsection.

     (e) A resolution adopted under subsection (d) may be rescinded by a subsequent resolution adopted by the governing body. If the governing body of the school corporation rescinds a resolution adopted under subsection (d) and returns to a school year budget year, the school corporation’s initial school year budget year begins on July 1 following the adoption of the rescinding resolution and ends on June 30 of the following year. The first six (6) months of the initial school year budget for the school corporation must be consistent with the last six (6) months of the last calendar year budget fixed by the department of local government finance before the adoption of a rescinding resolution under this subsection.

As added by P.L.178-2001, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.90-2002, SEC.149; P.L.177-2002, SEC.7; P.L.219-2007, SEC.51; P.L.224-2007, SEC.7; P.L.3-2008, SEC.43; P.L.146-2008, SEC.150; P.L.182-2009(ss), SEC.117; P.L.111-2010, SEC.2; P.L.119-2012, SEC.31; P.L.111-2014, SEC.26; P.L.233-2015, SEC.16; P.L.184-2016, SEC.10; P.L.257-2019, SEC.36; P.L.38-2021, SEC.26.