Whenever the Controller determines that any money apportioned to a school district has been expended by the school district for purposes not authorized by this chapter, or exceeds the final cost of the project which is authorized by Section 16024 to be paid therefrom, the Controller shall furnish written notice to the board, the governing board of the school district, the county superintendent of schools, the county auditor, and the county treasurer of the county whose county superintendent of schools has jurisdiction over the school district, directing the school district and the county treasurer to pay into the State Treasury the amount of the unauthorized expenditures, or the amount of the excess apportionment, as the case may be. Upon receipt of the notice, the governing board 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.

It shall be the duty of the governing body and the 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.

If, upon petition of the district, the Controller determines that the amount to be included in the county settlement is in excess of the amount that may be paid out of taxes levied at the maximum rate authorized by law (increased by any increase in the rate authorized by the electors of the district pursuant to Section 42202), without impairing essential district services, he or she may provide for the payment of the entire amount or any unpaid balance thereof in not exceeding three consecutive annual payments, commencing with the next school year. Each payment shall be an equal portion of the principal amount, plus accrued interest, and shall be paid not later than January 31st of each school year in which a payment is due. If the district fails to make the payment as specified, the Controller shall deduct the amount thereof from the February payment made to the district under Section 14041.

Deferred payments under this section shall bear interest at the same annual rate of interest as the apportionment from which the unauthorized expenditures or the amounts of excess apportionment were made.

(Repealed and added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 277, Sec. 2.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