Lease, rental, and lease-purchase of educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites.

(1) A board may lease any land, facilities, or educational plants owned by it to any person or entity for such term, for such rent, and upon such terms and conditions as the board determines to be in its best interests; any such lease may provide for the optional or binding purchase of the land, facilities, or educational plants by the lessee upon such terms and conditions as the board determines are in its best interests. A determination that any such land, facility, or educational plant so leased is unnecessary for educational purposes is not a prerequisite to the leasing or lease-purchase of such land, facility, or educational plant. Before entering into or executing any such lease, a board shall consider approval of the lease or lease-purchase agreement at a public meeting, at which a copy of the proposed agreement in its final form shall be available for inspection and review by the public, after due notice as required by law.

(2)(a) A district school board may rent or lease educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites as defined in s. 1013.01. Educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites rented or leased for 1 year or less shall be funded through the operations budget or funds derived from millage proceeds pursuant to s. 1011.71(2). A lease contract for 1 year or less, when extended or renewed beyond a year, becomes a multiple-year lease. Operational funds or funds derived from millage proceeds pursuant to s. 1011.71(2) may be authorized to be expended for multiple-year leases. All leased educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites must be inspected before occupancy by the authority having jurisdiction.

1. All newly leased spaces must be inspected and brought into compliance with the Florida Building Code pursuant to chapter 553 and the life safety codes pursuant to chapter 633, before occupancy, using the board’s operations budget or funds derived from millage proceeds pursuant to s. 1011.71(2).

2. Plans for renovation or remodeling of leased space shall conform to the Florida Building Code and the Florida Fire Prevention Code for educational occupancies or other occupancies, as appropriate and as required in chapters 553 and 633, before occupancy.

3. All leased facilities must be inspected annually for firesafety deficiencies in accordance with the applicable code and have corrections made in accordance with s. 1013.12. Operational funds or funds derived from millage proceeds pursuant to s. 1011.71(2) may be used to correct deficiencies in leased space.

4. When the board declares that a public emergency exists, it may take up to 30 days to bring the leased facility into compliance with the requirements of State Board of Education rules.

(b) A board is authorized to lease-purchase educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites as defined in s. 1013.01, and a district school board is authorized to lease-purchase educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites. The lease-purchase of educational plants, ancillary plants, and auxiliary facilities and sites must, where applicable, comply with s. 1013.37, subject to the authorization in s. 1013.385 to exempt certain facilities from the requirements of that section; must be advertised for and receive competitive proposals and be awarded to the best proposer; and must be funded using current or other funds specifically authorized by law to be used for such purpose.