An Act To Rename the Jobs for Maine's Graduates Program To Create InspireME
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0347
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: BROMLEY, MARTIN, MITCHELL, RA YE, WESTON, CUMMINGS, PINGREE, TARDY
Amends: 20-A MRSA §6902, 20-A MRSA §6903, 20-A MRSA §6904, 20-A MRSA §690, 20-A MRSA §691

Legislative Document 
No. 347 
S.P.109 
In Senate, January 20, 2005 
An Act To Rename the Jobs for Maine's Graduates Program To 
Create InspireME 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
JOY 1. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator BROMLEY of Cumberland. (GOVERNOR'S BILL) 
Cosponsored by Senators: MARTIN of Aroostook, MITCHELL of Kennebec, RA YE of 
Washington, WESTON of Waldo, Representatives: CUMMINGS of Portland, McKANE of 
Newcastle, PINGREE of North Haven, TARDY of Newport. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Emergency preamble. Whereas. acts of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted 
as emergencies; and 
Whereas. the mission of the agency will be most effectively 
served by 
a 
prompt transition of the marketing and branding 
campaigns recognizing the new name of the agency; 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. 1. 20·A MRSA c. 226. as amended, is further amended by 
repealing the chapter headnote and enacting the following in its 
place: 
CBAPT.ER 226 
IBSPlREME 
Sec. 2. 20·A MRSA §6901. first 11. as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
348, §l, is amended to read: 
Je9s--f-&-r--Mai-B&4;.-G£aEl.Qa~e6 InspireME, referred to in this 
chapter as the "corporation," is established to extend necessary 
dropout 
prevention, 
student 
engagement 
and 
seheel-~e-we~k 
school-to-career 
transition services 
to 
schools 
and 
students 
throughout 
the 
State. 
The 
corporation shall 
carry out its 
purposes in coordination with the education and 
job training 
activities of the private sector, community and regional agencies 
and State Government. 
Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §6902, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 348, §L 
is amended to read: 
§6902. Duties 
Je9s-~eF-Ma4Be~s-G£aEl.Qa~es The corporation is authorized and 
directed to provide services to the State and to quasi-public, 
public 
and private entities involved with the transition of 
students from school-to-career and to assist students in making 
the transition from school to W9Fk career. 
The corporation shall: 
1. 
Graduation. 
WeJ:~--Jie.e.:r ~ 
students in middle school 
~ 
high school through graduation by delivering all components 
of a unigue education model and competency-based curriculum; 
2. 
High-quality jobs. 
Render -9-
a minimum of 12 months of 
intensive assistance and 
follow-up 
ae~iyi~ies services beyond 
high school graduation to 
ass~~e ensure student placement in 
~~a~i~y high-quality jobs with ample career opportunities; 
3. 
Postsecondary education. 
Encourage students to pursue 
postsecondary education By-a55i5~iR~ and assist them in securing 
appropriate part-time work to accompany that education; 
4. 
Lifelong 
learning. 
introducing students to the 
demonstrating how learning is 
Encourage 
lifelong 
learning 
importance of skills training 
relevant to skills necessary in 
by 
and 
the 
workplace; 
5T--~eQ~-app£ea~ieesaipT--A5545~-~~~-~~~~&~-see~e~ 
ee~~e~a~ieRs-~~-~h&-4e¥~~-~~-ye~~R-~~-~~-sys~ems 
~e-eeRRee~-me~e-e~ese*y-seRee*s-aRe-~Re-we~*~*aee~-aRe 
6. 
Other. 
Engage in other activities 
eesi~Ree authorized 
by its board of directors and consistent with this chapterT~ 
7. 
Service learning. 
Encourage learning by implementing 
community-based service learning projects; 
8. 
Coordination of services. 
Assist schools, 
nonprofit 
entities state agencies and private sector corporations in the 
participation 
of 
youth 
development 
systems 
to 
connect 
more 
closely with schools and the workplace; and 
9. 
Research. 
Provide for research on students' needs and 
2 
effective 
interventions 
for 
their 
education, 
their 
career 
preparation and their successful transition to adult roles. 
Sec. 4. 20-A MRSA §6903, first 1[, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
348, §1, is amended to read: 
The 
Board 
of 
Directors 
of 
JeBs--Ee~--MaiRe~s--Q£aa~a~es 
InspireME consists of 17 private sector directors representing 
private businesses 
and 
labor organizations 
in the State; 
public 
sector 
directors, 
representing public 
or 
quasi-public 
educational 
entities; 
and 
nonvoting 
ex 
officio directors, 
representing the Commissioner of Labor and the Commissioner of 
Education. 
The membership of the board must be representative of 
geographic diversity and gender balance. 
Each voting director is 
entitled to one vote. 
In addition, the executive director shall 
attend and participate in board meetings but is not entitled to a 
vote. 
Sec. 5. 20-A MRS A §6903. sub-§§2 and 4, as enacted by PL 1993, 
c. 348, §1, are amended to read: 
2. 
Executive 
direct~r. 
The 
board 
of 
directors 
shall 
appoint the Executive Director of 
Jeas--~~-~~~-GEaQ~a~es 
InspireME, who is a nonvoting member of the board of directors. 
The executive director may not be appointed from among the other 
directors. 
The executive director serves as the director of the 
corporation and may be removed by the board for cause. 
4. 
Meetinqs; quorum. 
The board of directors shall meet at 
least twice a year at the call of the chair to conduct its 
business and elect its officers. 
Additional meetings may be held 
as necessary to conduct the business of the board of directors 
and may be convened at the call of the chair or a majority of the 
board members. 
eiH~eeB-IDefI'Ibe..£~-<rE--1:ae A simple majority of the 
current membership of the board 
eeBs1:i1:~1:e constitutes a quorum 
for all purposes. 
Sec. 6. 20-A MRSA §6904. first'~ as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
348, §1, is amended to read: 
Jees-€eE-MaiBe~s-GEaQ~a~es The corporation is empowered to: 
Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §6904. sub-§3. as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
348, §1, is amended to read: 
3. 
Educational and schoo1-to-career transition services; 
fees. 
Provide services to public or private entities to assist 
in job training and education efforts in the development of 
seaeel-1:e-weli'1l schoo1-to-career transition services in the State 
and 
1:e 
charge 
fees 
for 
those 
services 
as 
it 
determines 
appropriate ... 1.. 
Sec. S. 20-A MRSA §6904. sub-§10. as enacted by PL 1993, c. 
348, §1 and amended by PL 2003, c. 20, Pt. 00, §2 and affected by 
§4, is further amended to read: 
10. 
Cooperation with aqencies and orqanizations. 
Cooperate 
with governmental agencies, the University of Maine System and 
the Maine Community College System; 
and cooperate, assist and 
otherwise encourage organizations, local or regional, private or 
public, 
in 
the 
communities 
of 
the 
State 
in 
the 
promotion, 
assistance 
and 
development 
of 
seaeel-1:e-weli'1l 
school-to-career 
transition systemsT-ye~~h-~~~~~~-~-~Fai&i~-sys1:ems 
iB-eemm~Bi1:ies-aBQ-tae-e1:ate. 
Sec. 9. 20-A MRSA §690S, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 348, §L 
is amended to read: 
§6908. Prohibited interests of officers, directors and employees 
Officers, directors or employees of the corporation or their 
spouses or dependent children may not receive any direct personal 
benefi t 
from the activities of the corporation in assisting any 
private entity. 
This provision does not prohibit corporations or 
other entities with which an officer or director is associated by 
reasons 
of 
ownership 
or 
employment 
from 
participating 
in 
seaeel-ee-weFk 
school-to-career 
transition 
activities 
of 
the 
corporation, 
pFeV~QeQ-eaae if the ownership or employment is made 
known to the board of directors and, if applicable, the officer 
or director abstains from voting on matters relating to that 
participation. 
Sec. 10. 20-A MRS A §6909. as enacted by PL 1993, c. 348, §L 
is amended to read: 
§6909. Donations to the State 
The State, through the Office of the Governor, may accept 
donations, bequests, devises, grants or other interests of any 
nature on behalf of Jees--t-&r---Ma-i-ae-'-&-G£aQ\iaees the corporation 
and transfer those funds, 
property or other interests to the 
corporation. 
Sec. 11. 20-A MRSA §691l. first ~. as enac ted by PL 1993, c. 
348, §1, is amended to read: 
The Jees--t-&r--Ma-i-ne-'--s--GFaQ\iaees corporation shall operate as 
a 
nonprofit organization consistent with its composition 
and 
broad public purposes. 
The following conditions apply to the 
operation or dissolution of the corporation. 
Sec. 12. 20-A MRS A §6912. as enacted by PL 1993, c. 348, §1, 
is amended to read: 
§6912. Liberal construction 
This 
chapter 
may 
be 
construed 
liberally 
to 
effect 
the 
interest and purpose of 
the corporation for 
an 
improved 
and 
expanded 
seaeel-Ee-WeF-k 
school-to-career 
and 
skills 
training 
system in the State and may be broadly interpreted to effect the 
corporation's intent and purpose 
and not 
as 
a 
limitation of 
powers. 
Sec. 13. Transition provisions. 
The following provisions govern 
the transition of Jobs for Maine's Graduates to InspireME. 
1. 
InspireME is the successor in every way to the powers, 
duties and functions of the former Jobs for Maine's Graduates. 
2. 
All existing bylaws of Jobs for Maine's Graduates in 
effect are hereby declared in effect and continue in effect until 
rescinded, revised or amended by InspireME. 
3. 
All 
existing 
currently in effect to 
party continue in effect. 
contracts, 
which Jobs 
agreements 
for Maine's 
and 
compacts 
Graduates is a 
4. 
All 
members 
on 
the Board of Directors of Jobs 
for 
Maine's Graduates continue as members on the Board of Directors 
of InspireME in the positions they currently occupy for the terms 
to which they were originally appointed. 
5. 
All records, property and equipment previously belonging 
to or allocated for the use of the 
former Jobs 
for Maine's 
Graduates become, on the effective date of this Act, part of the 
property of InspireME. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this Act takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill changes the name of the Jobs for Maine's Graduates 
program to InspireME to better reflect its mission and impact. 
The bill also makes minor changes to the purpose and structure of 
the program.