An Act To Encourage Transparency in the Department of Education
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0566
Committee Amendment CA_A_S300 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 158, L.D. 566, Bill, "An Act To 
Encourage Transparency in the Department of Education" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 20-A MRS A §205 is enacted to read: 
§205. Disclosure of finances 
The department shall disclose annually its full budget and the true cost of all its 
programs and services to the Legislature and shall publish this disclosure on the 
department's publicly accessible website. 
1. Reports to Legislature. Beginning with the 2012-13 fiscal year, the department, 
in conjunction with the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of 
the Budget, shall report monthly to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over education matters and to the joint standing committee of the Legislature 
having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs regarding the allocation or 
transfer of funds from the General Fund, Federal Expenditures Fund or Other Special 
Revenue Funds that support: 
A. An existing or ongoing department program or initiative that was approved as part 
of the biennial budget bill or a supplemental budget bill; 
B. A new or significantly revised department program or initiative that was not 
approved as part of the biennial budget bill or a supplemental budget bill; or 
C. 
The transfer of existing department personnel to a new program or a new 
initiative or the retainer of a contracted service provider to provide contracted 
services for a new program or a new initiative. 
The monthly report must disclose the adjustments made to department programs and 
initiatives in a manner that delineates the amounts of funding that are different from the 
relevant components of the most recently approved state budget. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 158, L.D. 566 
2. Public access. Following the submission of the monthly report in accordance 
with subsection 1, the department shall publish any new disclosures presented in the 
monthly report, including any changes to department funding or personnel related to a 
particular program or initiative, on the department's publicly accessible website. 
Sec. 2. 
Department of Education review of performance data. 
The 
Department of Education shall review the findings and recommendations of the 
November 3,2010 Report to the Legislative Council on Maine Department of Education 
Program Funding, including the recommendation that the Legislature should consider 
requiring the Department of Education to provide performance-related data as part of the 
department's biennial or supplemental budget request for General Fund appropriations. 
The department shall submit a report, including findings and recommendations on the 
costs and benefits of providing performance-related data to the Legislature as part of the 
department's budget request, no later than January 13, 2012 to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. The committee may report out a bill to the 
department. 
Sec. 3. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
Leadership Team Z077 
Initiative: Provides funds for one Financial Analyst position and related All Other to 
compile the monthly financial and personnel data and prepare the monthly reports~ 
GENERAL FUND 
2011-12 
2012-13 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
1.000 
1.000 
Personal Services 
$46,262 
$65,307 
All Other 
$6,088 
$6,088 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$52,350 
$71,395 
SUMMARY 
This amendment proposes to clarify the reporting and public disclosure requirements 
of the bill pertaining to the disclosure by the Department of Education of its full budget 
and the true cost of all its programs and services. The amendment directs the Department 
of Education to review the November 3, 2010 Report to the Legislative Council on Maine 
Department of Education Program Funding, including the recommendation that the 
Legislature should consider requiring the department to provide performance-related data 
as part of the agency's biennial or supplemental budget request for General Fund 
appropriations. The amendment also directs the department to submit a report, including 
findings and recommendations on the costs and benefits of providing performance-related 
data to the Legislature as part of the department's budget request, no later than January 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 158, L.D. 566 
13, 2012 to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. 
The 
amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06111111 ftvac 
LD566 
LR 1648(02) 
An Act To Encourage Transparency in the Department of Education 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" S ~ -goe 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2011-12 
FY 2012-13 
$52,350 
$71,395 
$52,350 
$71,395 
Projections 
FY 2013-14 
$73,354 
$73,354 
Projections 
FY 2014-15 
$74,700 
$74,700 
This bill includes General Fund appropriations of$52,350 in fiscal year 2011-12 and $71,395 in fiscal year 2012-13 to 
the Leadership program within the Department of Education for one Financial Analyst position and related all other 
costs associated with the requirement that the department prepare monthly actual-to-budgeted variance reports for all 
of the programs and initiatives administered by the department. 
This fiscal note assumes that the intent of this legislation is for the Department of Education to provide a report that 
includes every adjustment made to the funding for each of the department's programs and services during each month 
at a level of detail that currently does not exist. However, if the intent of this legislation is for the department to 
provide a monthly report based on data that is already compiled and readily available, the additional position would 
not be needed. 
Additional costs to the Department of Administrative and Financial Services to assist the department of Education in 
preparing its budget and cost information for all of its programs and services can be absorbed within existing budgeted 
resources. 
LR1648(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1