An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Reorganization of School Administrative Units
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 2281
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Amends: 20-A MRSA §1486

Legislative Document 
No. 2281 
H.P.1646 
House of Representatives, March 26, 2008 
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Reorganization of School 
Administrative Units 
Reported by Representative NORTON of Bangor for the Joint Standing Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX, section 
47. 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed under Joint Rule 218. 
Printed 011 rel:yc led paper 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §1486, sub-§5 is enacted to read: 
5. Exception. A regional school unit in which the school board has approved a 
budget that proposes to raise an amount that exceeds the maximum state and local 
spending target determined pursuant to section 15671-A, subsection 5 by less than 5% is 
exempt from the provisions of this section. 
Sec. 2. 20-A MRS A §2307, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §21, is 
amended to read: 
§2307. School budgets; exceptions 
Notwithstanding any other law, municipal school budgets developed after January 1, 
2008 must follow the same school budget requirements as regional school units pursuant 
to chapter !03-A. Except as described in subsections 1 and 2, a municipal school unit is 
deemed to be a regional school unit solely for the purpose of developing a budget 
pursuant to chapter 103-A. 
1. 
Municipal charter; exception. 
A municipal school unit in which the 
responsibility for the formation and approval of the school budget is vested in the 
municipal councilor other municipal legislative body by municipal charter is exempt 
from the provisions of section 1486. 
2. Additional exception. A municipal school unit in which the school committee 
has approved a budget that proposes to raise an amount that exceeds the maximum state 
and local spending target determined pursuant to section 15671-A, subsection 5 by less 
than 5% is exempt from the provisions of section 1486. 
SUMMARY 
This bill is introduced by the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural 
Affairs pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX, section 47. The bill 
makes the following changes to the laws governing the formation of regional school 
units. 
1. It provides an exemption for those regional school units in which the regional 
school unit board has approved a budget that proposes to spend less than 5% above the 
level of funding outlined in the essential programs and services funding model from the 
budget validation referendum process until the regional school unit board proposes a 
budget that meets or exceeds that funding level. 
2. It provides an exemption for municipal school units from the budget validation 
referendum vote in cases in which the municipal charter defines roles and a process for 
developing and approving the school budget. 
3. It provides an exemption for those municipal school units in which the school 
committee has approved a budget that proposes to spend less than 5% above the level of 
funding outlined in the essential programs and services funding model from the budget 
validation referendum process until the school committee proposes a budget that meets or 
exceeds that funding level. 
FIS( .\\ \i lIT HT(>1 il{ED 
(See attached) 
Approved: 03/16108 ;t;?ac:.. 
LD ;).z ~ ) 
LR 3491(01) 
An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Reorganization of School Administrative Units 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Original Bill 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
No State fiscal impact 
Providing an exemption from the budget validation referendum process to those regional school units and municipal 
school units whose proposed budget does not propose to raise more than 5% of the maximum state and local spending 
target may result in savings to those units as a result of not having to hold the referendum. However, allowing the 
exemption from the budget validation referendum process may also result in the local cost of K -12 public education 
being higher in these regional school units and municipal school units than it would have been had the exemption not 
been in place. The impact to the individual school units can not be determined at this time. 
LR3491(OI) - Fiscal Note - Page I of 1