An Act Regarding the Sharing of Costs in Certain School Districts
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1953
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: MAYO, BABBIDGE, RICHARDSON, EDMONDS, SCHNEIDER, CROSBY, GERZOFSKY, GROSE, HUTTON, PERCY, WATSON

Legislative Document 
No. 1953 
S.P.750 
In Senate, January 10,2006 
An Act Regarding the Sharing of Costs in Certain School Districts 
(EMERGENCY) 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Senator MAYO of Sagadahoc. 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Cosponsored by Representative BABBIDGE of Kennebunk, Speaker RICHARDSON of 
Brunswick and 
Senators: President EDMONDS of Cumberland, SCHNEIDER of Penobscot, Representatives: 
CROSBY of Topsham, GERZOFSKY of Brunswick, GROSE of Woolwich, HUTTON of 
Bowdoinham, PERCY of Phippsburg, WATSON of Bath. 
Printed on I ecycled paper 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted 
as emergencies; and 
Whereas. Private and Special Law 2005, chapter 23 provided a 
one-time adjustment for fiscal year 2005-06 to the state share of 
the total allocation for 
school administrative districts and 
community school districts that have member municipalities with 
local 
contributions 
that 
are 
below 
the 
maximum 
mill 
rate 
expectation but that are adversely affected as a result of the 
cost-sharing mechanism established pursuant to the Maine Revised 
Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15688; and 
Whereas, the Department of Education has agreed to continue 
to review and analyze the implications of the new method of 
determining the local cost of education in accordance with Title 
20-A, 
section 
15688, 
subsections 
and 
3-A 
of 
member 
municipalities of school administrative districts and community 
school districts whose cost-sharing formulas were established in 
accordance with Title 20-A, section 1301 and 1704, respectively; 
and 
Whereas, the intent of both Initiated Bill 2003, chapter 2 
and Title 20-A, section 15753 is to provide a mandatory state 
appropriation for 100°-0 of - the special education costs of each 
school administrative unit to recognize the special education 
costs mandated by federal and state law, rule or regulation; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts 
create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of 
Maine 
and 
require 
the 
following 
legislation 
as 
immediately 
necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and 
safety; now, therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. I. 20·A MRSA §15689, sub·§l·A is enacted to read: 
A. 
Adjustments 
to 
state 
contributions 
to 
member 
mYDicipalities in certain school districts. 
Beginning in fiscal 
year 
2006 07, 
the 
m~n~mum 
state 
allocation 
prov~s~ons 
of 
subsection 1 are applicable for each case when one or more member 
municipalities, but not all the district's member municipalities, 
have a local contribution that is below the mill rate expectation 
established 
pursuant 
to 
section 
15671-A. 
For 
each 
school 
district 
eligible 
under 
this 
subsection, 
the 
minimum 
state 
allocation provisions of subsection 1 are applicable for each 
member municipality that has a local contribution that is below 
the 
mill 
rate 
expectation 
established 
pursuant 
to 
section 
1_5. f;jJ_1-A , ex c ep~tJlp. 
t_~lJJL~Ui-.1l-..1iiJ;j,Q1l.--l?~r ce ~tage sin s e c t i o~~ 
subsection 1, paragraph B must be multiplied by the percentage of 
calendar year resident pupils in the member municipality. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this Act takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This 
bill 
is 
emergency 
legislation 
that 
provides 
an 
adjustment 
to 
certain 
member 
municipalities 
in 
school 
administrative districts and community school districts when one 
or more member municipalities, but not all the school district's 
member municipalities, have a local contribution that is below 
the mill 
rate expectation established pursuant to 
the 
Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15671-A. 
The bill provides 
an adjustment equivalent to the adjustments provided to the state 
share of the total allocation for school administrative units 
that are determined to be 
minimum state allocation receivers 
pursuant to Title 20-A, section 15689, except that the transition 
percentages in Title 20-A, section 15689, subsection 1, paragraph 
B must be multiplied by the percentage of calendar year resident 
pupils in the member municipality.