An Act To Change the Voting Requirements for the Withdrawal of a Municipality from a Regional School Unit
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0783
Committee Amendment CA_B_H611 (House)
Amends: 20-A MRSA §1466

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "g" to H.P. 534, L.D. 783, Bill, "An Act To 
Change the Voting Requirements for the Withdrawal of a Municipality from a Regional 
School Unit" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 1 to 3 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§9, as repealed and replaced by PL 2011, c. 
678, Pt. J, § 1, is amended to read: 
9. Required vote. Before the municipality may withdraw from the regional school 
unit, the withdrawal agreement must be approved by a majority vote of those casting 
valid votes in the municipality, and the total number of votes cast for and against 
withdrawal at the municipal vote must equal or exceed 50% of the total number of votes 
cast in the municipality for Governor at the last gubernatorial election. 
This subseetioR is re]3ealed JaRUary 1, 2Q 15. 
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§9-A, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 678, Pt. J, §2, 
is amended to read: 
9-A. Required vote; exception for a municipality of a school administrative 
district that was reformulated as a regional school unit. A 2/3 vote of those casting 
valid votes in the municipality is required before a municipality that is 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~ 
amended by Public Law 2007, chapter 668, section 48, may withdraw from the regional 
school unit. 
This subseetioR is re]3ealed JaRUary 1, 2Q 15.' 
Amend the bill in section 5 in paragraph B in the last line (page 3, line 18 in L.D.) by 
striking out the following: "50%" and inserting the following: '45%' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 6 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 6. 20-A MRS A §1466, sub-§10-A is enacted to read: 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" B "to H.P. 534, L.D. 783 
to-A. 
Restriction on withdrawal petitions for a municipality of a school 
administrative district that was reformulated as a regional school unit. 
A 
municipality that is part 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, as amended by Public Law 2007, chapter 668, section 48, may not petition 
for withdrawal within 2 years after the date of: 
A. A municipal vote on a petition for withdrawal if the petition received less than 
45% of the votes cast; or 
B. A municipal vote on a withdrawal agreement if the agreement received less than 
60% of the votes cast. 
Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§13, as amended by PL 2013, c. 167, Pt. A, §2, 
is further amended to read: 
13. Determination of results; execution of agreement. 
Except for 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, as amended by Public 
Law 2007, chapter 668, section 48, if the commissioner finds that a majority of the voters 
voting on the article has voted in the affirmative and the total number of votes cast for 
and against the article equal or exceed 50% of the total number of votes cast in the 
municipality for Governor at the last gubernatorial election, the commissioner shall notify 
the municipal officers, and the regional school unit board to take steps for the withdrawal 
in accordance with the terms of the agreement for withdrawal. For a municipality that is 
part 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~ 
amended by Public Law 2007, chapter 668, section 48, if the commissioner finds that at 
least 2/3 of the votes validly cast in the municipality are in the affirmative, the 
commissioner shall notify the municipal officers and the regional school unit board to 
take steps for the withdrawal in accordance with the terms of the agreement for 
withdrawal. 
This subseetioR is repealed Jarmary 1, 2015.' 
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or 
section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
The bill proposes changes to the laws regarding voting requirements for the 
withdrawal of a municipality from a regional school unit and the withdrawal of a member 
municipality from a school administrative district that was reformulated as a regional 
school unit pursuant to the school consolidation laws. This amendment changes the bill to 
remove its time limits for negotiations between the withdrawal committee and the 
regional school unit. The amendment retains the provisions in the bill striking the 
provisions in current law that repeal the existing voting requirements on January 1,2015 
and that provide that a 2/3 majority of the voters voting on a withdrawal agreement is 
required for the withdrawal of a municipality from a regional school unit and retains the 
provision in the bill changing the percentage of votes required when determining whether 
a municipality may petition to withdraw within 2 years of the vote on a previous 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT"~ "to H.P. 534, L.D. 783 
withdrawal agreement that was not approved by the voters, but changes the bill's 50% of 
votes cast to 45%. The bill proposes to eliminate the provisions of current law that 
require that the total number of votes cast for and against withdrawal at the municipal 
vote must equal or exceed 50% of the total number of votes cast in the municipality for 
Governor at the last gubernatorial election. The amendment retains those provisions of 
current law. 
The amendment also adds a distinct provision to the bill that restricts a withdrawal 
petition for a period of 2 years for a municipality that seeks to withdraw from a school 
administrative district that was reformulated as a regional school unit pursuant to the 
school consolidation laws if the municipal vote on a petition for withdrawal received less 
than 45% of the votes cast or if the withdrawal agreement received less than 60% of the 
votes cast during the municipal vote. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT