An Act To Eliminate the Penalty for Schools That Did Not Reorganize
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0139
Committee Amendment CA_A_H548 (House)
Amends: 20-A MRSA §1466

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 121, L.D. 139, Bill, "An Act To 
Eliminate the Penalty for Schools That Did Not Reorganize" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Reduce the Time Period after Which a Member Municipality May 
Petition To Withdraw from a Regional School Unit' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting in its place the following: 
'Sec. 1. 
20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§l, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 580, §9, is 
amended to read: 
1. Petition. +he Beginning January 1, 2012, the residents of a municipality that has 
been a member of a regional school unit for at least 3 years 30 months may petition to 
withdraw from the regional school unit in accordance with this subsection. 
A. Ten percent of the number of voters in the municipality \vho voted at the last 
gubernatorial election must sign the petition to withdraw from the regional school 
unit. 
B. At least 10 days before the special election called pursuant to this paragraph, the 
municipal officers of the municipality within the regional school unit shall hold a 
posted or otherwise advertised public hearing on the petition. The municipal officers 
shall call and hold a special election in the manner provided tor the calling and 
holding of town meetings or city elections to vote on the withdrawal from the 
regional school unit. 
C. The petition to withdraw from the regional school unit must be approved by secret 
ballot by a majority vote of the voters present and voting before it may be presented 
to the regional school unit board and the commissioner. Voting in towns must be 
conducted in accordance with Title 30-A, sections 2528 and 2529, even if the towns 
have not accepted the provisions of Title 30-A, section 2528, and voting in cities 
must be conducted in accordance with Title 21-A. 
Page I - 12SLR0128(02)-1 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
I 
to 
COMMITIEEAMENDMENT" ~'to H.P. 121, L.D. 139 
For the purposes of this subsection, the J.-yeaF 30-month period after which a petition to 
withdraw may be considered in a member municipality of a school administrative district 
that was reformulated as a regional school unit pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 240, 
Part XXXX, section 36, subsection 12 is 3 years 30 months after the original operational 
date of the school administrative district; and the J-.yeaF 30-month period after which a 
petition to withdraw may be considered in a member municipality of a school 
administrative district that did not reformulate as a regional school unit but that became a 
member entity of an alternative organizational structure is 3 years 30 months after the 
operational date of the alternative organizational structure. 
Sec. 2. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2012.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment is the majority report of the Joint Standing Committee on Education 
and Cultural Affairs. The amendment strikes and replaces the bill. Beginning January I, 
2012, the amendment reduces the time period from 3 years to 30 months after which a 
member municipality may petition to withdraw from a regional school unit. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT