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_A-SA_A_S342 (Senate)
Amends: 20-A MRSA §1466

SENATE AMENDMENT "A "to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" 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 amendment by striking out all of the first indented paragraph after the title 
(page I, line 12 in amendment) and inserting the following: 
'Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 1 and 2 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'Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§9, as repealed and replaced by PL 2011, c. 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This subsection is repealed January 1,2015 July 1, 2014." 
Amend the amendment by inserting after section 3 the following: 
'Amend the bill by inserting after section 4 the following: 
'Sec. 5. 20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§9-C is enacted to read: 
9-C. Required vote. Beginning July 1,2014, 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.' , 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of section 6 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 6. 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, 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 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
"" cj.~. 
l3 
SENATE AMENDMENT "A" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 534, L.D. 783 
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, 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 subsection is repealed laRaaT)' 1,2015 July 1, 2014.' 
Amend the amendment by striking out all of section 8 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 8. 20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§13-B is enacted to read: 
13-D. Determination of results; execution of agreement. Beginning July 1.2014, 
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, if the 
commissioner finds that a majority of the voters voting on the article has voted in the 
affinnative, 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, 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. 
Sec. 9. 
Administrative costs. 
Notwithstanding any provision of law to the 
contrary, if a municipality that is a member of a regional school unit withdraws from that 
regional school unit pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 1466, 
subsection 9, any increase in administrative costs incurred by that municipality as a result 
of that withdrawal must be borne by that municipality. 
Sec. 10. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
School Finance and Operations Z078 
Initiative: Provides funds for one Education Specialist III position and related All Other 
costs to support the anticipated increase in workload associated with the withdrawal 
process of individual municipalities from regional school units. 
GENERAL FUND 
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT 
Personal Services 
All Other 
2013-14 
0.000 
$0 
$0 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
2014-15 
l.000 
$87,414 
$4,316 
",. \. 
SENATE AMENDMENT "A" to COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 534, L.D. 783 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
$0 
$91,730 
Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter 
or section number to read consecutively. 
SUMMARY 
This amendment incorporates the substance of House Amendment "A" to Committee 
Amendment "A" (H-561). In addition, this amendment retains until July 1, 2014, the 
existing law governing the number of votes required to withdraw from a regional school 
unit. This amendment provides that beginning July 1,2014 a municipality may withdraw 
from a regional school unit by majority vote and eliminates the requirement regarding the 
total number of votes cast. 
This amendment also replaces the appropriations and 
allocations section in Committee Amendment "A." 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
~(S~.tt.~ 
SPONSOREDB :.~.~ 
. 
(Senator HILL) 
COUNTY: York 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
• 
Approved: 06/25/13 ;tvae 
LD783 
LR 125(10) 
An Act To Change the Voting Requirements for the Withdrawal of a Municipality from a Regional 
School Unit 
Fiscal Note for Senate Amendment 'A. to Committee Amendment "A" 
Sponsor: Sen. Hill of York 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
FY 2013-14 
FY 2014-15 
($178,403) 
($91,196) 
($178,403) 
($91,196) 
Projections 
FY 2015-16 
($94,031) 
($94,031) 
Projections 
FY 2016-17 
$96,340 
$96,340 
This amendment reduces the General Fund appropriations in the bill by $178,403 in fiscal year 2013-14 and $91,196 
in fiscal year 2014-15 by eliminating funding for one Education Specialist II position and delaying certain provisions 
of the bill until July 1, 2014, which allows delaying the start date for one Education Specialist III position until July 1, 
2014. 
As amended, this bill includes a General Fund appropriation of $91,730 in fiscal year 2014-15 to the School Finance 
and Operations Program within the Department of Education for one Education Specialist III position and related all 
other costs to support the anticipated increase in workload associated with the process of municipalities withdrawing 
from regional school units. This fiscal note assumes that the increased workload will subside after fiscal year 2016-17 
and this position will end. 
LROI25(10) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1