An Act Making Unified Appropriations and Allocations for the Expenditures of State Government, General Fund and Other Funds, and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2008 and June 30, 2009
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 0499
Committee Amendment CA_A-HA_K_H435 (House)

HOUSE AMENDMENT" K" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 383, 
L.D. 499, Bill, "An Act Making Unified Appropriations and Allocations for the 
Expenditures of State Government, General Fund and Other Funds, and Changing Certain 
Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper Operations of State Government for the 
Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2008 and June 30, 2009" 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of Part XXXX and inserting the following: 
'PARTXXXX 
Sec. XXXX-l. 20-A MRSA c. 114 is enacted to read: 
CHAPTER 114 
REGIONAL COLLABORATION 
§2601. Definitions 
As used in this chapter. unless the context otherwise indicates. the following terms 
have the following meanings. 
1. Administrative, instructional and noninstructional functions. "Administrative, 
instructional and non instructional functions" includes, but is not limited to. system 
administration, school administration, special education, transportation and huses and 
facilities maintenance. 
2. Collaborative aflreement. "Collaborative agreement" means an agreement to 
share the responsibility for and cost of the delivery of certain administrative, instructional 
and noninstructional functions. "Collaborative agreements" includes, but is not limited to: 
A. Shared purchasing or contract agreements; 
B. Agreements for shared staff or staff training; 
C. Agreements to share technology or technology support; 
D. Agreements to provide special education programs and support services; 
E. Agreements to share accounting, payroll and financial management services; 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT" K" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 383, .L.D. 499 
F. Agreements to coordinate transportation routing and vehicle maintenance; 
G. Agreements to share food service planning and purchasing; and 
H. Agreements to coordinate energy and facilities management. 
§2602. Development of collaborative agreements 
A school administrative unit may enter into collaborative agreements with other 
school administrative units and, whenever possible. with local and county governments 
and State Government, to achieve efficiencies and reduce costs in the delivery of 
administrative. instructional and noninstructional functions. 
Sec. XXXX-2. 20-A MRSA §lS680, sub-§l, ~A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 
504, Pt. A, §6, is amended to read: 
A. System administration. The per-pupil amount for "system administration" is the 
actual system administration expenditures, as defined in the State's accounting 
handbook for local school systems, for the most recent year available excluding 
expenditures for leases and the purchase of land and buildings, less revenues to 
system administration for services to other governments and refunds from a statewide 
school management association, divided by the average October and April enrollment 
counts for that fiscal year and then inflated to an estimated allocation year level by a 
10-year average increase in the Consumer Price Index or other comparable index~ 
Beginning in school year 2008-2009, this per-pupil amount must be based on school 
year 2005-2006 system administration expenditures then reduced by 50% and 
inflated to an estimated allocation year level by a 10-year average increase in the 
Consumer Price Index or other comparable index; 
Sec. XXXX-3. 20-A MRSA §lS680, sub-§l, ~, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 
504, Pt. A, §6, is amended to read: 
B. Operation and maintenance of plant. The per-pupil amount for "operation and 
maintenance of plant" is the actual operation and maintenance of plant expenditures, 
as defined in the State's accounting handbook for local school systems, for the most 
recent year available excluding expenditures for leases and the purchase of land and 
buildings, divided by the average October and April enrollment counts for that fiscal 
year and then inflated to an estimated allocation year level by a 10-year average 
increase in the Consumer Price Index or other comparable index. For school year 
2008-2009. the resulting per-pupil amount must be reduced by 5%; 
Sec. XXXX-4. 20-A MRSA §lS681-A, sub-§2-A is enacted to read: 
2-A. Reduction for fIScal year 2008-09. For fiscal year 2008-09. the commissioner 
shall reduce by 5% the allocation for special education costs as described in subsection 2. 
These calculated special education costs for school administrative units for fiscal year 
2008-09 are subject to the appeals procedure described in subsection 2. 
Sec. XXXX-S. 20-A MRSA §lS681-A, sub-§3-A is enacted to read: 
3-A. Reduction for fiscal year 2008-09. For fiscal year 2008-09. the commissioner 
shall reduce by 5% the allocation for transportation costs as described in subsection 3. 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT" K" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 383, L.D. 499 
These calculated transportation costs for school administrative units for fiscal year 2008-
are subject to the appeals procedure described in subsection 3. 
Sec. XXXX-6. Legislative intent and policy. This Part establishes the process 
for increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of school administrative units by providing 
a process for reorganizing them into collaborative administrative school units by assisting 
units to develop more efficient structures for providing administrative services. For 
purposes of this section, "high-performing school unit" means a unit of school 
administration whose average performance score is higher than would be expected based 
on that community's characteristics and the prior achievement of students within that unit 
of school administration. 
1. Meetings to be convened in each career and technical education region. Not 
later than July 15,2008, the Commissioner of Education, or the commissioner's designee, 
shall convene one or more meetings in each of the career and technical education regions 
in the State to present information about the requirements of this Part regarding 
collaboration among school administrative units. 
A. The Commissioner of Education shall provide notice of the meeting or meetings 
to municipal officials and school officials from the municipalities and school 
administrative units within the region, as well as to the general public. 
B. In addition to other information presented at the meeting, the Commissioner of 
Education shall provide one or more maps showing the suggested alignment of 
municipalities and other school administrative units designed to increase efficiency 
and improve educational quality. 
C. 
Maps presented by the Commissioner of Education and alignment options 
considered by school administrative unit representatives must reflect: 
(1) The intent that school administrative units existing on the effective date of 
this Act collaborate in units of at least 2,500 resident students except where 
circumstances justify an exception to that size requirement. When circumstances 
justify an exception to the requirement of 2,500 students, the unit must serve as 
close to 2,500 students as possible and in no case, except for offshore islands and 
schools operated by tribal school committees, may it serve fewer than 1,200 
students. 
2. Notice of intent. By December 31, 2008, each school administrative unit shall 
file with the Commissioner of Education: 
A. A notice of intent to engage in planning and negotiations with other school 
administrative units for the purpose of developing a collaboration plan to achieve the 
system administration efficiency goals of a high-performing school unit; or 
B. A notice of intent to submit an alternative plan that meets the requirements of a 
high-performing school unit. An alternative plan may be submitted only by a unit that 
is: 
(1) An offshore island; 
(2) A school operated by a tribal school committee pursuant to the Maine 
Revised Statutes, Title 30, section 6214; or 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT" K 
"to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 383, L.D. 499 
(3) A school administrative unit that serves more than 2,500 students, or 1,200 
students where circumstances justify an exception to the requirement of 2,500 
students. 
The Commissioner of Education shall respond to each notice of intent by March 15, 
2009, indicating whether the intended action complies with the requirements of this Part. 
3. Collaboration planning committee. Municipalities that intend to engage in 
planning and negotiation to create a collaborative school unit shall form a collaboration 
planning committee. 
A. For each proposed regional school unit, the Commissioner of Education shall 
provide guidelines for the formation of a collaboration planning committee including 
representation from the school administrative units in existence on the effective date 
of this Part, member municipalities and members of the general public who are 
residents of the proposed collaborative school unit. The guidelines must include roles 
and responsibilities of the committee, timelines for submission of the plan, the format 
for reporting the collaboration plan and evaluation criteria for approval of the plan. 
B. Collaboration planning committees shall hold one or more public meetings to 
. gather input from community members and to determine the sentiment of the public. 
4. Submission of plans. By October 31, 2009, each school administrative unit shall 
submit to the Commissioner of Education either: 
A. Its proposed collaboration plan for participating school units; or 
B. Its proposed plans for reducing the cost of services within the school 
administrative unit to meet the requirements of a high-performing school unit. 
S. Content. A collaboration plan must include: 
A. The units of school administration to be participating in the proposed plan; 
B. The size, composition and apportionment of the governing body; 
C. A transition plan that addresses the development of a budget for the first school 
year of the collaboration process; 
D. Documentation of the public meeting or public meetings held to prepare or review 
the collaboration plan; 
E. An explanation of how units that approve the collaboration plan will proceed if 
one or more of the proposed members of the school administrative units fail to 
approve the plan; 
F. An estimate of the cost savings to be achieved through formation of a collaborative 
school administrative unit process and how costs will be reduced; and 
G. Such other matters as the governing bodies of the school administrative units in 
existence on the effective date of this Part may determine to be necessary. 
6. Parameters. In developing a collaboration plan for school administrative units in 
existence on the effective date of this Part, the governing bodies of school administrative 
units shan work within the following parameters. 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT" J<. .. to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 383, L.D. 499 
A. The proposed regional school unit must serve not fewer than 2,500 students, 
except where circumstances relating to the following factors justify an exception: 
(l) Geography, including physical proximity and the size of the current school 
administrative unit; 
(2) Demographics, including student enrollment trends and the composition and 
nature of communities in the regional school unit; 
(3) Economics, including existing collaborations to be preserved or enhanced 
and opportunities to deliver commodities and services to be maximized; 
(4) Transportation; 
(5) Population density; or 
(6) 
Other unique circumstances including the need to preserve existing or 
developing relationships, meet the needs of students, maximize educational 
opportunities for students and ensure equitable access to rigorous programs for 
all students. 
When circumstances justify an exception to the requirement of 2,500 students, the 
unit must serve as close to 2,500 students as possible and in no case, except for 
offshore islands and schools operated by tribal school committees, may it serve fewer 
than 1,200 students. 
B. 
The proposed collaboration unit, viewed in conjunction with surrounding 
proposed units, may not result in one or more municipalities being denied the option 
to join a collaborative school unit. 
C. 
The plan must provide comprehensive programming for all students from 
kindergarten to grade 12 and must include at least one publicly supported secondary 
school. 
D. The plan must reorganize administrative functions, duties and noninstructional 
personnel in order that the following be accomplished: 
(l) The projected expenditures of the collaborative school unit in fiscal year 
2009-10 for transportation, special education and facilities and maintenance must 
be 5% less than the projected transportation, special education and facilities and 
maintenance expenditures of each of the participating school administrative units 
in fiscal year 2008-09; and 
(2) The projected expenditures of the collaborating school units in fiscal year 
2009-10 for system administration must be no more than the legislatively 
approved essential programs and services system administration rate established 
for fiscal year 2008-09. 
7. Review and approval of plans. If the Commissioner of Education finds that a 
plan for collaboration meets the requirements of this Part, the commissioner shall notify 
the municipalities and school administrative units and they shall proceed. 
A. If the Commissioner of Education finds that a plan for collaboration is not 
consistent with the purposes and goals of this Part, the commissioner shall return the 
plan to the governing bodies of those school administrative units by December 15, 
2009 with specific suggestions for modification of the plan. 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT"K "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 383, L.D. 499 
B. Upon the return of a collaboration plan by the Commissioner of Education, the 
governing bodies of the school administrative unit shall revise the proposed plan for 
collaboration to address the commissioner's findings and submit a revised plan for 
collaboration not more than 30 days after the commissioner returns the plan for 
revision. 
C. The Commissioner of Education shall approve or disapprove the revised plan for 
collaboration not more than 14 days after it is refiled by the unit. 
Sec. XXXX-7. Role of the Department of Education. In order to provide for 
the orderly implementation of this Part, the Department of Education shall: 
1. Prepare models. Prepare one or more models for the collaboration of school 
administrative units in existence on the effective date of this Part, consistent with the 
provisions of section 6, subsection 3; 
2. Assist in coUection and presentation of data. Assist all of the governing bodies 
of school administrative units in existence on the effective date of this Part in the 
collection and presentation of data pertinent to the charge established by this Part; 
3. Assist in meetings and caucuses. Assist in the organization of the meetings and 
caucuses convened by the governing bodies of the school administrative units in 
existence on the effective date of this Part to prepare collaboration plans as provided in 
subsection 1; 
4. Provide facilitation services. Make available, upon request, facilitation services 
to the governing bodies of the school administrative units in existence on the effective 
date of this Part to ensure the ability of those school administrative units to fulfill the 
charges required by this Part; 
5. 
Adjust EPS rates. 
Adjust essential programs and services rates for 
transportation, facilities and maintenance, special education and system administration 
expenditures to reflect the ongoing efficiencies reSUlting from the collaboration of school 
administrative units in existence on the effective date of this Part; and 
6. Submit report. Submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education 
and Cultural Affairs no later than February 1, 2008 that describes the compliance of the 
participating school administrative units in existence on the effective date of this Part 
with the requirements of this Part. 
Sec. XXXX-S. 
Notification of allocation of funding to school 
administrative units. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 
15689-B, subsection 2, paragraph A, the notice by the Commissioner of Education to 
school boards of the estimated amount of state funds to be allocated to the school 
administrative unit for school years 2008-2009 and 2009-2010 must be provided not later 
than March 31 st. 
Sec. XXXX-9. Adjustment for collaborative school unit start-up costs. 
The Commissioner of Education shall establish an adjustment for fiscal year 2008-09 to 
support the start-up costs associated with the collaboration of school administrative units 
in accordance with the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 2602. 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
HOUSE AMENDMENT" K" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 383,.L.D. 499 
Sec. XXXX-lO. Department to conduct review. The Department of Education 
shall conduct a review of unfunded state mandates pertaining to school systems. In 
conducting its review, the department shall: 
1. 
Prepare a comprehensive listing of the state mandates placed on school 
administrative units; 
2. Identify for each listed mandate the precise legal origin of the mandate, whether 
state law or rule or a combination of both, or any originating authority. The department 
shall also provide notice and analysis of federal mandates that contribute to or contlict 
with specific state mandates on school administrative units; 
3. Identify the statewide local government costs of each listed mandate within the 
limits of practicability; and 
4. Identify the characteristics of each listed mandate. Identified characteristics may 
include, but are not limited to, the following: 
A. Archaic or unnecessary features or features lacking significant public purpose; 
B. Inadequate funding; 
C. Disproportionate efforts for the public policy benefit; 
D. Coordination between federal law and regulation and state law and rule; 
E. Subjection to excessive administrative oversight; and 
F. An insufficient structure to predict, measure or control local costs. 
No later than December 15,2007, the department shall submit a report that includes 
its findings and recommendations, including suggested legislation, for presentation to the 
joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters. In 
its proposed implementing language, the department may include proposals to repeal, 
modify, redesign, effectively coordinate or delay the implementation of any of the listed 
mandates, as may be appropriate. Following receipt and review of the report, the joint 
standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters may 
submit a bill to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature. 
Sec. XXXX-U. Reports; implementing legislation for regional school 
administrative unit consolidation. 
No later than January 15, 2008, the 
Commissioner of Education shall submit to the Joint Standing Committee on Education 
and Cultural Affairs an initial report that contains recommendations and any proposed 
legislation necessary to require that all school budgets be approved at referendum and to 
implement regional school administrative unit consolidation, including legislation to 
convert school administrative districts and community school districts to the regional 
school unit form of governance on July 1, 2010. Following receipt and review of the 
initial report, the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs may 
submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature. No later than 
January 31, 2009, the Commissioner of Education shall submit to the joint standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters a final report that 
contains recommendations and any proposed legislation necessary to fully implement this 
Part including proposed legislation to repeal the laws governing school administrative 
districts and community school districts. Following receipt and review of the final report, 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT" K." to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 383, L.D. 499 
the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters 
may submit legislation to the First Regular Session of the 124th Legislature. 
Sec. XXXX-12. Report; school costs information. No later than January 15, 
2008, the Commissioner of Education shall report to the Joint Standing Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs the latest cost information for each school unit in the State 
that delineates costs per student by essential programs and services category including the 
school unit population. The commissioner shall include the specific cost standards that 
would apply for a high-performing school unit for each of the essential programs and 
services categories based on a 1,200 pupil school unit and a 2,500 or greater pupil school 
unit. The commissioner shall include in this analysis the identification of the system 
administrative costs for each of the school units. The commissioner shall assess the 
school units based on total costs per pupil and school administrative costs per pupil as 
compared to the standard for a high-performing school unit. The format of the report 
must outline the following expenditures per pupil: 
1. Regular instruction; 
2. Special education; 
3. Career and technical education; 
4. Other instruction, including summer school and extracurricular instruction; 
5. Student and staff support; 
6. System administration; 
7. School administration; 
8. Transportation and buses; 
9. Facilities maintenance; 
10. Debt service and other commitments; 
11. All other expenditures, including school lunch; and 
12. Total expenditure per pupil. 
Sec. XXXX-13. Approval of school budget. 
Notwithstanding any provision 
of law to the contrary, beginning January 31, 2009, all school administrative unit budgets 
must be approved by the voters in the respective units to include school administrative 
unit budgets based on the essential programs and services funding model. The school 
administrative unit board shall provide to voters a reasonably detailed breakdown for 
each major subcategory within each budget category. The Department of Education shall 
adopt routine technical rules pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 375, 
subchapter 2-A defining and establishing the content of those informational 
subcategories. 
1. Budget approval. A school administrative unit's cost center summary budget 
must be approved at a budget validation referendum as provided in section 14. 
2. Transfer between budget cost center lines. During the year for which the 
budget is approved using the cost center summary budget format, the school 
administrative unit board may transfer an amount not exceeding 5% of the total 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT" K" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 383, L.D. 499 
appropriation for any cost center to another cost center or among other cost centers 
without voter approval. 
Sec. XXXX-14. 
Budget validation referendum. 
Notwithstanding any 
provision of law to the contrary, after January 31, 2009, the procedure for approval of the 
annual budget of a school administrative unit must be in accordance with this section and 
section 13. 
1. Budget validation. Following development of the annual school administrative 
unit budget and approval at a school administrative unit budget meeting as provided in 
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 1485, a referendum must be held in the 
school administrative unit as provided in this section to allow the voters to validate or 
reject the total budget. 
2. Validation referendum procedures. The budget validation referendum must be 
held to coincide with the existing municipal and fiscal year budget cycle. The vote at 
referendum is for the purpose of approving or rejecting the total school administrative 
unit budget approved by the school administrative unit legislative body. The school 
administrative unit board shall provide printed information to be displayed at polling 
places to assist voters in voting. 
That information is limited to the total amounts 
proposed by the school administrative unit board for each cost center summary budget 
category article, the amount approved at the school administrative unit budget meeting, a 
summary of the total authorized expenditures and, if applicable because of action on an 
article under Title 20-A, section 15690, subsection 3, paragraph A, a statement that the 
amount approved in the school administrative unit budget includes locally raised funds 
over and above the school administrative unit's local contribution to the total cost of 
funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12 as described in the Essential 
Programs and Services Funding Act. The referendum question must clearly show the 
comparison of the proposed budget and the essential programs and services funding for a 
high-performing unit, highlighting the specific funding categories, and state that any 
spending greater than essential programs and services standards will be paid by local 
property taxes. In addition, the additional spending must be expressed in total dollar 
commitment as well as projected impact on mill rate. 
3. Budget validation referendum voting. The method of calling and voting at a 
budget validation referendum is in accordance with this section. 
A. A public hearing is not required before the vote. 
B. The warrant for a school administrative unit budget meeting to be followed by a 
budget validation referendum may be a consolidated warrant covering both. 
C. The warrant and absentee ballots must be delivered to the municipal clerk at least 
days before the date of the school administrative unit budget meeting. 
D. Absentee ballots received by the municipal clerk may not be processed or counted 
unless received after the conclusion of the school administrative unit budget meeting 
and before the close ofthe polls. 
E. All envelopes containing absentee ballots received before the conclusion of the 
school administrative unit budget meeting or after the close of the polls must be 
marked "rejected" by the municipal clerk. 
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HOUSE AMENDMENT" K 
"to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 383, L.D. 499 
F. If the school budget does not exceed the maximum state and local spending target 
pursuant to Title 20-A, section 15671-A, subsection 5, the article to be voted on must 
be in the following fonn: 
(1) "Do you favor approving the (name of school administrative unit) budget for 
the upcoming school year that was adopted at the latest school administrative unit 
budget process? 
Yes No" 
G. 
If the school budget exceeds the maximum state and local spending target 
pursuant to Title 20-A, section 15671-A, subsection 5, the article to be voted on for a 
budget that includes locally raised funds over and above the school administrative 
unit's local contribution to the total cost of funding public education from 
kindergarten to grade 12 as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding 
Act must be in the following fonn: 
(1) "Do you favor approving the (name of regional school unit) budget for the 
upcoming school year that was adopted at the latest school administrative unit 
budget meeting and that includes locally raised funds that exceed the required 
local contribution as described in the Essential Programs and Services Funding 
Act? 
Yes No 
A "YES" vote allows additional funds to be raised for K-12 public education. 
A "NO" vote means additional funds cannot be raised for K-12 public education." 
4. Failure to approve budget. If the voters do not validate the budget approved in 
the school administrative unit budget meeting at the budget validation referendum vote, 
the school administrative unit board shall hold another school administrative unit budget 
meeting in accordance with this section and Title 20-A, section 1485 at least 10 days after 
the referendum to vote on a budget approved by the school administrative unit board. 
The budget approved at the school administrative unit budget meeting must be submitted 
to the voters for validation at referendum in accordance with this section. The process 
must be repeated until a budget is approved at a school administrative unit budget 
meeting and validated at referendum. If a budget is not approved and validated before 
July 1st of each year, section 15 applies. 
Sec. XXXX-1S. Failure to pass budget. Notwithstanding any provision of law 
to the contrary, if a budget for the operation of a school administrative unit is not 
approved prior to July 1st, the latest budget as submitted by the school unit board is 
automatically considered the budget for operational expenses for the ensuing year until a 
final budget is approved, except that, when the school administrative unit board delays 
the school administrative unit budget meeting, the operating budget must be approved 
within 30 days of the date the Commissioner of Education notifies the school 
administrative unit board of the amount allocated to the school administrative unit under 
the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15689-B, or the latest budget submitted 
by the school administrative unit board becomes the operating budget for the next school 
year. 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
HOUSE AMENDMENT" K 
"to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 383, L.D. 499 
Sec. XXXX-16. Special budget meeting. Notwithstanding any provision oflaw 
to the contrary, the school administrative unit board may call a special budget meeting 
when it declares that an emergency exists. The voters of the school administrative unit 
may authorize the school administrative unit board at a special school administrative unit 
budget meeting to expend additional funds from the school administrative unit's 
undesignated fund balance or to pledge the credit of the school administrative unit to 
obtain additional money for the operation of schools. A special budget meeting held on or 
after July 1, 2008 must be conducted in accordance with sections 13 and 14. 
Sec. XXXX-17. Mandatory budget validation and cost center summary 
budget form. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, school budgets 
developed after January 1,2009 must conform to the format and referendum procedures 
set forth in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, sections 170 I-A and I70I-B. 
Sec. XXXX-lS. School budgets. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the 
contrary, municipal school budgets developed after January 1,2009 must follow the same 
school budget requirements as school administrative units in accordance with standards 
established by the Commissioner of Education.' 
Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter 
or section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment: 
I. 
Retains those portions of Part xxxx that specificalJy allow for regional 
collaboration and that reduce funding for school year 2008-2009 for system 
administration, operation and maintenance of plant, special education and transportation 
costs; 
2. Eliminates provisions requiring regional school consolidation and instead requires 
the Department of Education to report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and 
Cultural Affairs regarding consolidation and to submit implementing statutory language 
requiring that all school budgets be approved at referendum in accordance with this Part 
in the Second Regular Session of the 123rd Legislature; 
3. 
Requires the Commissioner of Education to report to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs the latest cost information for each school 
unit in the State that delineates costs per student by essential programs and services 
category including the school unit population; 
4. Requires that all school budgets be approved at referendum; 
5. Establishes an aggressive school administration collaboration process following 
many of the same process steps as the consolidation process proposed in Committee 
Amendment "A"; and 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
HOUSE AMENDMENT "K.. "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 383, L.D. 499 
6. Requires the Department of Education to identify mandates. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
SPONSORED~){~ 
(Representative EDGECOMBi 
TOWN: Caribou 
HOUSE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/04/07 :tvae 
LD499 
LR2452(26) 
An Act Making Unified Appropriations and Allocations for the Expenditures of State Government, 
General Fund and Other Funds, and Changing Certain Provisions of the Law Necessary to the Proper 
Operations of State Government for the Fiscal Years Ending June 30, 2008 and June 30, 2009 
Fiscal Note for House Amendment" t<. "to Committee Amendment "A" 
Sponsor: Rep. Edgecomb of Caribou 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
No net fiscal impact 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This amendment does not affect General Fund appropriations during the 2008-2009 biennium and a balanced budget is 
maintained. 
LR2452(26) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1