An Act To Increase Funding to Schools
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0667
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: MAKER, ALFOND, HARLOW, JACKSON, PEASE, WEAVER, WERTS, WINCHENBACH
Amends: 20-A MRSA §15690

Legislative Document 
No. 667 
H.P. 459 
House of Representatives, February 26, 2013 
An Act To Increase Funding to Schools 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative MAKER of Calais. 
Cosponsored by President ALFOND of Cumberland and 
Representatives: HARLOW of Portland, JACKSON of Oxford, MacDONALD of Old Orchard 
Beach, McCLELLAN of Raymond, PEASE of Morrill, WEAVER of York, WERTS of 
Auburn, WINCHENBACH of Waldoboro. 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, continuing budgetary conditions limit the ability of state and local 
governments to fund the full cost of the components of essential programs and services as 
required under the school funding laws; and 
Whereas, a provision of law will be repealed June 30, 2013 that protects a school 
administrative unit from a reduction of state subsidy if the unit raises less than the 
percentage of the total cost of essential programs and services required under the school 
funding laws as long as the unit raises at least the same percentage of the local share as 
the State raises of the State's share; and 
Whereas, it is necessary to continue this protection provided to school 
administrative units by replacing the repealed provision before June 30, 2013; and 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.  20-A MRSA §15690, sub-§1, ¶D, as amended by PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. C, 
§12, is repealed and the following enacted in its place: 
D.  In any fiscal year in which the sum of the State's contribution toward the cost of 
the components of essential programs and services, exclusive of federal funds that are 
provided and accounted for in the cost of the components of essential programs and 
services, falls below the State's target of 55% of the cost of the components of 
essential programs and services, the commissioner shall calculate the percentage of 
the State's 55% share that is funded by state appropriations and, notwithstanding any 
other provision of this paragraph, a school administrative unit may not have the 
amount of its state subsidy limited or reduced under paragraph C if the school 
administrative unit: 
(1)  In fiscal year 2013-14, raises at least the same percentage of its required local 
contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to 
grade 12, including state-funded debt service, as the State's contribution toward 
its 55% share of the cost of the components of essential programs and services; 
(2)  In fiscal year 2014-15, raises the same percentage of its required local 
contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to 
grade 12, including state-funded debt service, as the State's contribution toward 
its 55% share of the cost of the components of essential programs and services 
plus 33% of the difference between that percentage and 100% of its required 
local contribution; and 
(3)  In fiscal year 2015-16, raises the same percentage of its required local 
contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to 
grade 12, including state-funded debt service, as the State's contribution toward 
its 55% share of the cost of the components of essential programs and services 
plus 66% of the difference between that percentage and 100% of its required 
local contribution. 
This paragraph is repealed June 30, 2016. 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill amends the law that provides for a proportional share reduction in the 
amount of local share revenues that municipalities must raise under the Essential 
Programs and Services Funding Act when the State does not fund the 55% state share 
required by law.  The bill phases out the proportional share reduction over a 3-year period 
from fiscal year 2014-15 to fiscal year 2016-17.