An Act To Address the Documented Educational and Rehabilitation Needs of Persons Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0765
Committee Amendment CA_B_H737 (House)
Amends: 26 MRSA §1418-D

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ·eB" to H.P. 572, L.D. 765, Bill, "An Act To 
Address the Documented Educational and Rehabilitation Needs of Persons Who Are 
Blind or Visually Impaired" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, legal requirements regarding the educational needs of children who are 
blind or visually impaired are not currently being met; 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. 26 MRSA §1418-D, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1995, c. 560, Pt. F, §13, is 
amended to read: 
2. Department of Education input; school administrative units. The division 
shall ensure that the Department of Education has input into any contract to provide 
educational services and delivery of those services to blind or visually impaired children 
from birth to 20 years of age. Educational services that are required by federal law to be 
provided to blind or visually impaired children from birth to 20 years of age must take 
precedence over services provided to blind or visually impaired adults. Nothing in this 
section relieves school administrative units from fulfilling their responsibilities under 
Title 20-A, Part 4, subpart 1. 
Sec. 2. Department of Labor; lapsed balances. Notwithstanding any other 
provision of law, $13,963 of unencumbered balance forward from the Department of 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .]3 .. to H.P. 572, L.D. 765 
v..O~~ 
Labor, Governor's Training Initiative Program, General Fund account, All Other line 
category lapses to the General Fund no later than June 30,2012. 
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
LABOR, DEPARTMENT OF 
Blind and Visually Impaired - Division for the 0126 
Initiative: Allocates one-time funds transferred from the Department of Education to 
support the cost of 2 Certified Teacher of Visually Impaired contracted positions to 
provide direct services to children in the classroom in fiscal year 2011-12 only. 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND 
All Other 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND TOTAL 
Blind and Visually Impaired - Division for the 0126 
2011-12 
$40,000 
$40,000 
2012-13 
$0 
$0 
Initiative: Provides ongoing funds for 2 Certified Teacher of Visually Impaired 
contracted positions to provide direct services to children in the classroom beginning in 
fiscal year 2012-13. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Blind and Visually Impaired - Division for the 0126 
2011-12 
$0 
$0 
2012-13 
$158,820 
$158,820 
Initiative: Provides ongoing funds for one Orientation and Mobility Specialist position 
and related All Other effective May 1, 2012 to provide instruction in safe and 
independent travel to children and adults. 
GENERAL FUND 
2011-12 
2012-13 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
1.000 
1.000 
Personal Services 
$10,630 
$66,312 
All Other 
$3,333 
$5,000 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$13,963 
$71,312 
Blind and Visually Impaired - Division for the 0126 
Initiative: Provides ongoing funds for one Blindness and Rehabilitation Specialist 
position and related All Other effective July 1,2012 to provide case management services 
for children. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ·B" to H.P. 572, L.D. 765 
GENERAL FUND 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
Personal Services 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Blind and Visually Impaired - Division for the 0126 
2011-12 
2012-13 
0.000 
1.000 
$0 
$63,783 
$0 
$7,500 
$0 
$71,283 
Initiative: Provides ongoing funds for 2 Vision Rehabilitation Therapist contracted 
positions beginning in fiscal year 2012-13 to teach independent living and job readiness 
skills to certain transition-age students, working-age adults and seniors. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
Blind and Visually Impaired - Division for the 0126 
2011-12 
$0 
$0 
2012-13 
$136,848 
$136,848 
Initiative: Provides funds for one half-time Orientation and Mobility Specialist position to 
work with children and adults in the classroom and in the community to provide 
instruction in safe and independent travel. 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
Personal Services 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND TOTAL 
LABOR, DEPARTMENT OF 
DEPARTMENT TOTALS 
GENERAL FUND 
FEDERAL EXPENDITURES FUND 
DEPARTMENT TOTAL-ALL FUNDS 
2011-12 
0.500 
$6,065 
$6,065 
2011-12 
$13,963 
$46,065 
$60,028 
2012-13 
0.500 
$37,657 
$37,657 
2012-13 
$438,263 
$37,657 
$475,920 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill and: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ':8 "to H.P. 572, L.D. 765 
1. 
Provides funding for 2 Certified Teacher of Visually Impaired contracted 
positions. Funding for fiscal year 2011-12 is provided through a transfer of federal funds 
from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor. Beginning in fiscal year 
2012-13, funding for the contracted positions is provided through General Fund 
appropriations; 
2. 
Provides funding for 2 Vision Rehabilitation Therapist contracted positions 
beginning in fiscal year 2012-13 to teach independent living and job readiness skills; 
3. Establishes one full-time and one half-time Orientation and Mobility Specialist 
position within the Department of Labor, Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired to 
provide instruction in safe and independent travel to children and adults; and 
4. 
Establishes one Blindness and Rehabilitation Specialist position within the 
Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired beginning in fiscal year 2012-13 to provide 
case management services. 
The amendment directs the Department of Labor and the Department of Education to 
work together to develop contracts to provide educational services and clarifies that 
educational services required by federal law to be provided to blind and visually impaired 
children from birth to 20 years of age take precedence over such services provided to 
blind or visually impaired adults. 
The amendment adds an emergency preamble and emergency clause. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 02/24112 ;tvac. 
LD765 
LR 754(04) 
An Act To Address the Documented Educational and Rehabilitation Needs of Persons Who Are Blind 
or Visually Impaired 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment 'B" C f-f- 73/) 
Committee: Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Federal Expenditures Fund 
Transfers 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2011-12 
$0 
$13,963 
$46,065 
$13,963 
FY 2012-13 
$438,263 
$438,263 
$37,657 
$0 
Projections 
FY 2013-14 
$440,932 
$440,932 
$38,977 
$0 
Projections 
FY 2014-15 
$445,962 
$445,962 
$40,172 
$0 
This bill includes General Fund appropriations totaling $13,963 in fiscal year 2011-12 and $438,263 in fiscal year 
2012-13 to the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired within the Department of Labor to provide federally 
mandated services to blind and visually impaired children and adults. 
Of this amount, $13,963 in fiscal year 2011-12 and $142,595 is appropriated for one Orientation and Mobility 
Specialist position (effective May 1,2012) and one Blindness and Rehabilitation Specialist position (effective July 1, 
2012) to be established within the Division to provide instruction in safe and independent travel to children and adults 
and to provide case management services for blind children. The $295,668 balance of the General Fund appropriation 
in fiscal year 2012-13 is provided to support the cost of two Certified Teacher of Visually Impaired contracted 
positions and two Vision Rehabilitation Therapist contracted positions to provide direct services to children in the 
classroom and to teach independent living and job readiness skills to certain transition age students, working age 
adults and seniors. 
LR0754(04) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of2 
This bill also includes Federal Expenditures Fund allocations totaling $46,065 in fiscal year 2011-12 and $37,657 in 
fiscal year 2012-13. Of that amount, $40,000 is allocated on a one-time basis in fiscal year 2011-12 to support the 
cost of two Certified Teacher of Visually Impaired contracted postions. The funding to support the positions will 
come from a one-time transfer of federal funds from the Department of Education. The remaining $6,065 in fiscal 
year 2011-12 and $37,657 in fiscal year 2012-13 are provided for the cost of one half-time Orientation and Mobility 
Specialist position to be established within the Division for the Blind and Visually Impaired to work with children and 
adults in the classroom and in the community to provide instruction in safe and independent travel. 
Finally, this bill includes language that lapses $13,963 from the Governor's Training Initiative Program, General Fund 
account to the the General Fund no later than June 30, 2012 to offset the fiscal year 2011-12 General Fund 
appropriation. 
LR0754(04) - Fiscal Note - Page 2 of2