Sec. 21. (a) If the chairperson of the county committee does not receive the certification or combined certifications under section 20(f) of this chapter not later than ninety (90) days after the receipt by the county committee of the plan referred to in section 20(a) of this chapter, the judge of the circuit court of the county from which the county committee submitting the plan was appointed shall:

(1) certify the public question under IC 3-10-9-3; and

(2) order the county election board to conduct a special election in which the registered voters residing in the proposed community school corporation may vote to determine whether the corporation will be created.

(b) If:

(1) a primary election at which county officials are nominated; or

(2) a general election at which county officials are elected;

and for which the question can be certified in compliance with IC 3-10-9-3 is to be held not later than six (6) months after the receipt by the chairperson of the county committee of the plan referred to in section 20(a) of this chapter, regardless of whether the ninety (90) day period referred to in subsection (a) has expired, the judge shall order the county election board to conduct the special election to be held in conjunction with the primary or general election.

(c) If a primary or general election will not be held in the six (6) month period referred to in subsection (b), the special election shall be held:

(1) not earlier than sixty (60) days; and

(2) not later than one hundred twenty (120) days;

after the expiration of the ninety (90) day period referred to in subsection (a).

(d) The county election board shall give notice under IC 5-3-1 of the special election referred to in subsection (a).

(e) The notice referred to in subsection (d) of a special election must:

(1) clearly state that the election is called to afford the registered voters an opportunity to approve or reject a proposal for the formation of a community school corporation;

(2) contain:

(A) a general description of the boundaries of the community school corporation as set out in the plan;

(B) a statement of the terms of adjustment of:

(i) property;

(ii) assets;

(iii) debts; and

(iv) liabilities;

of an existing school corporation that is to be divided in the creation of the community school corporation;

(C) the name of the community school corporation;

(D) the number of members comprising the board of school trustees; and

(E) the method of selecting the board of school trustees of the community school corporation; and

(3) designate the date, time, and voting place or places at which the election will be held.

(f) A special election referred to in subsection (a) is under the direction of the county election board in the county. The election board shall take all steps necessary to carry out the special election. If the special election is not conducted at a primary or general election, the cost of conducting the election is:

(1) charged to each component school corporation embraced in the community school corporation in the same proportion as the component school corporation's assessed valuation is to the total assessed valuation of the community school corporation; and

(2) paid:

(A) from the school corporation's operations fund not otherwise appropriated of; and

(B) without appropriation by;

each component school corporation.

If a component school corporation is to be divided and its territory assigned to two (2) or more community corporations, the component school corporation's cost of the special election is in proportion to the corporation's assessed valuation included in the community school corporation.

(g) The county election board shall place the public question on the ballot in the form prescribed by IC 3-10-9-4. The public question must state "Shall the (here insert name) community school corporation be formed as provided in the Reorganization Plan of the County Committee for the Reorganization of School Corporations?". Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the election is governed by IC 3.

(h) If a majority of the votes cast at a special election referred to in subsection (a) on the public question are in favor of the formation of the corporation, a community school corporation is created and takes effect on the earlier of:

(1) the July 1; or

(2) the January 1;

that next follows the date of publication of the notice referred to in subsection (d).

(i) If a public official fails to perform a duty required of the official under this section within the time prescribed in this section, the omission does not invalidate the proceedings taken under this section.

(j) An action:

(1) to contest the validity of the formation or creation of a community school corporation under this section;

(2) to declare that a community school corporation:

(A) has not been validly formed or created; or

(B) is not validly existing; or

(3) to enjoin the operation of a community school corporation;

may not be instituted later than thirty (30) days after the date of the special election referred to in subsection (a).

[Pre-2005 Elementary and Secondary Education Recodification Citation: 20-4-1-21.]

As added by P.L.1-2005, SEC.7. Amended by P.L.244-2017, SEC.22.