(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 52616.4, the Merced Union High School District may use money in its Adult Education Fund to purchase up to 20 existing district-owned classrooms for the exclusive use of its adult education program.

(b) The Adult Education Fund money used by the Merced Union High School District to purchase existing district-owned classrooms for the exclusive use of its adult education program shall be placed in a separate account after the purchase is completed.

(c) The money in the separate account established pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be used by the Merced Union High School District solely for the purpose of purchasing classrooms for use by students in grades 9 to 12, inclusive. The school district shall purchase, with the funds in the separate account, an equal number of classrooms for use by students in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, as the number of classrooms purchased for the adult education program pursuant to subdivision (a).

(1) If the funds in the separate account are insufficient to purchase an equal number of classrooms for use by students in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, then the school district may use district general fund money to complete the purchase of the classrooms.

(2) If there are funds remaining in the separate account after the purchase of an equal number of classrooms for use by students in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, those funds shall be transferred back to the Adult Education Fund.

(d) The classrooms purchased pursuant to this section shall meet the structural standards imposed by law for earthquake safety pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 39140) and Article 6 (commencing with Section 39210) of Chapter 2 of Part 23.

(e) Any classrooms purchased pursuant to subdivision (a) shall not be included in the area of adequate school construction existing in the school district pursuant to Section 17742.7.

(f) This section shall not expand the Merced Union High School District’s eligibility for funding pursuant to the Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 1996 (Part 66 (commencing with Section 100000)).

(Added by Stats. 1996, Ch. 760, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 1997.)