Bill could exempt Hammond school from $1 law
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Proposed legislation could exempt the School City of Hammond from selling the Gavit Middle/High School building under the state’s $1 law.
Our partners at The Times of Northwest Indiana report State Sen. Dan Dernulc, R-Highland, has filed Senate Bill 101, which would spare the school district from the state law if it decides to sell the building, which closed in 2021.
The law allows charter schools to buy or lease a vacant public school building for $1. Public school districts must notify the Indiana Department of Education if they plan to close a building used for classroom instruction. If a charter school expresses interest in the building within 90 days, then the district must lease or sell the building to the charter before exploring other options.
The lawmaker filed the legislation with the intent to repurpose the property, potentially as an emergency room facility, the Times reports. The law could be a burden to school districts, Dernulc told the publication, and the law was not meant to set a precedent.
“We have to look at some things locally on a case-by-case basis…to benefit our local community in other ways,” Dernulc said in a statement.
Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. told the Times the city and other entities would be interested in purchasing the building.
Hammond and Lake Ridge schools sued in 2020 to challenge the $1 law.