Any eligible school district may make application for an apportionment for a grade level which it maintains by submitting through the governing board an application therefor in a form and number that the board shall prescribe. The application shall be addressed to the board and shall set forth a project for the construction of school facilities for the district in accordance with this section.

(a) Each application and copy thereof shall contain and be supported by:

(1) A description of the project and the site therefor, preliminary drawings of the school facilities to be constructed thereon, and any other information relating to the project that the board may require.

(2) A statement of the estimated cost of the project certified by an architect or structural engineer.

(3) Evidence that the district has or will have title to the site upon which the facilities as specified in the application will be constructed.

(4) Assurance that the district will cause the work on the project to be commenced within a reasonable time and prosecuted to completion with reasonable diligence.

(b) The board shall require any changes in the plans which an applicant school district submits with its application that the board determines is necessary or desirable to assure completion of the project with available funds of the district and the amount of the apportionment to which the district is entitled under this chapter. For that purpose the board may delegate to the director or the Director of General Services, according to whether the subject matter of the revision of the plans is subject to the jurisdiction and approval of the director or the Director of General Services, the authority to require any revision in the plans that the board deems necessary or desirable to accomplish the purposes of this subdivision.

(c) Upon submission of an application for an apportionment under this chapter the Director of General Services shall do each of the following:

(1) Transmit a copy of the application to the director who shall as promptly as possible prepare a report and recommendation with respect thereto. Thereupon the director shall transmit his or her report and recommendation to the Director of General Services who shall refer them to the board if he or she finds them in proper form and otherwise sufficient. If the Director of General Services finds the documents to be lacking in any respect as to any matter subject to the jurisdiction of the director or the department, he or she shall refer them to the director who shall take any action that may be necessary.

(2) Determine the applicant district’s financial ability with funds apportioned under this chapter and funds devoted by the district to the project to meet the cost of the project and submit his or her report thereon as promptly as possible to the board.

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