SACRAMENTO (AP) -- Several school districts and a statewide association that represents them are suing the state for nearly $1 billion. They say they're owed the money for programs the state requires them to offer but doesn't want to pay for.
The lawsuit was filed Wednesday afternoon in San Diego County Superior Court. It challenges the state's authority to defer payments, which the Legislature has done by failing to include money for the programs in the last five state budgets.
The California School Boards Association says the state is constitutionally obligated to pay the full cost for things such as record-keeping on student immunizations and mandatory collective bargaining with unions.
The state budgeted just $38,000 for the $160 million worth of programs this year.
