Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a county unified school district with fewer than 3,000 units of average daily attendance may use up to percent of its budget reserve to pay for utility costs, including propane, fuel, and electricity costs, in each of the 2000–01 and 2001–02 fiscal years, and shall not for that reason receive a “qualified” or “negative” financial certification by the State Department of Education for three fiscal years after using that amount of its budget reserve to pay for utility costs if the use of that amount results in available reserves falling below percent of its budget reserve.