An Act To Modify the Alternative Organizational Structure Budget Approval Process
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1696
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: BURNS, MASON, DAVIS, HARMON, MAKER, TURNER, WILLETTE, GERZOFSKY, RAYE
Amends: 20-A MRSA §1461-B

Legislative Document 
No. 1696 
H.P. 1248 
House of Representatives, December 23, 2011 
An Act To Modify the Alternative Organizational Structure Budget 
Approval Process 
Approved for introduction by a majority of the Legislative Council pursuant to Joint Rule 
203. 
Received by the Clerk of the House on December 21, 2011.  Referred to the Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to 
Joint Rule 401. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative BURNS of Whiting. 
Cosponsored by Senator MASON of Androscoggin and 
Representatives: DAVIS of Sangerville, HARMON of Palermo, MAKER of Calais, McKANE 
of Newcastle, TURNER of Burlington, WILLETTE of Mapleton, Senators: GERZOFSKY of 
Cumberland, President RAYE of Washington. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §1461-B, sub-§3, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 580, §5, is 
amended to read: 
C.  The budget procedures of member entities of an alternative organizational 
structure must conform to the format and referendum procedures set forth in sections 
1485 and 1486 for regional school units.  The budget of the alternative organizational 
structure must be approved at a meeting of the voters of all of the member entities 
conducted in accordance with the procedures applicable to a regional school unit 
budget meeting except as provided in paragraph D.  The budget of an alternative 
organizational structure is not subject to a separate budget validation referendum as 
described in section 1486. 
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §1461-B, sub-§3, ¶D is enacted to read: 
D.  The governing body of an alternative organizational structure, by majority vote, 
may authorize a change in the alternative organizational structure budget approval 
procedures in paragraph C to require a budget approval by the governing body of the 
alternative organizational structure instead of a meeting of the voters of all of the 
member entities of the alternative organizational structure.  The change in procedure 
must be authorized by a majority of the total number of voters of all of the member 
entities in the alternative organizational structure at the next statewide election.  The 
article to be voted upon must be in substantially the following form: 
"Article:  Do you favor changing the (name of alternative organizational 
structure) budget approval procedure from a meeting of the voters to a vote by 
the governing body of the alternative organizational structure? 
Yes No" 
If approved by the voters, the budget approval procedure changes to a majority vote 
of the governing body of the alternative organizational structure at a budget meeting.  
This procedure must remain in effect for at least 3 budget years before the alternative 
organizational structure may return to the requirement that a budget be approved at a 
meeting of the voters of all of the member entities of the alternative organizational 
structure. 
An article to consider reinstatement of the budget approval procedure in which the 
budget is approved at a meeting of the voters of all of the member entities may be 
placed on a warrant for referendum vote by either a majority vote of the governing 
body of the alternative organizational structure or by a written petition to the 
governing body of the alternative organizational structure signed by a number of 
voters of member entities of the alternative organizational structure equal to at least 
10% of the voters who voted in the last gubernatorial election in the member entities 
of the alternative organizational structure. The governing body of the alternative 
organizational structure shall place the article on the next scheduled warrant or an 
earlier one if determined appropriate by the governing body of the alternative 
organizational structure. The article to be voted upon must be in substantially the 
following form: 
"Article:  Do you favor changing the (name of alternative organizational 
structure) budget approval procedure from a vote by the governing body of the 
alternative organizational structure to a meeting of the voters? 
Yes No" 
If approved by a majority of the total number of voters of all of the member entities 
in the alternative organizational structure, the budget approval procedure changes to a 
meeting of the voters of all of the member entities of the alternative organizational 
structure beginning in the next budget year or the following budget year if the 
approval occurs less than 90 days before the start of the next budget year. Once 
approved by the voters, this procedure may not be changed for at least 3 budget years. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows the budget of an alternative organizational structure formed pursuant 
to the laws governing the consolidation of school units to be approved by the governing 
body of the alternative organizational structure rather than at a meeting of the voters of all 
of the member entities of the alternative organizational structure if such a budget 
approval process is approved by the governing body of the alternative organizational 
structure and at a referendum by the voters of all of the member entities of the alternative 
organizational structure.