House Bill 1017

House Bill 1017, the Education Reform Act of 1990, was landmark legislation that funded a broad range of education initiatives through increased taxes. The Legislature appropriated more than $560 million over five years to implement a wide range of reform policies, including reduced class sizes, minimum teacher salaries, alternative teacher certification, funding equity, early childhood programs, school consolidation, new statewide curriculum standards, and statewide testing.

HB 1017 was passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Henry Bellmon in 1990. State Question 639, a referendum petition aimed at repealing HB 1017, was defeated in 1991 by a 46-54 percent vote.

The taxes raised by HB 1017 are allocated directly to the 1017 Fund and can be appropriated only to the Department of Education.