An Act To Update and Revise the Laws Governing the Maine Arts Commission
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1100
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: MILLETT, MAKER, JOHNSON, LANGLEY, DAUGHTRY, HUBBELL, NELSON, RANKIN
Amends: 27 MRSA §405, 27 MRSA §408, 27 MRSA §410, 27 MRSA §411, 27 MRSA §412

Legislative Document 
No. 1100 
S.P. 382 
In Senate, March 21, 2013 
An Act To Update and Revise the Laws Governing the Maine Arts 
Commission 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator MILLETT of Cumberland. 
Cosponsored by Representative MAKER of Calais and 
Senators: JOHNSON of Lincoln, LANGLEY of Hancock, Representatives: DAUGHTRY of 
Brunswick, HUBBELL of Bar Harbor, JOHNSON of Greenville, NELSON of Falmouth, 
RANKIN of Hiram. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  27 MRSA §405, as amended by PL 1991, c. 622, Pt. V, §4, is further 
amended to read: 
§405.  Hearings; contracts 
The commission Maine Arts Commission is authorized and empowered to hold 
public and private hearings, to enter into contracts, within the limit of funds available, 
with individuals or organizations, and institutions for services furthering the educational 
objectives of the commission's programs; to enter into contracts, within the limit of funds 
available, with local and regional associations for cooperative endeavors furthering the 
educational objectives of the commission's programs; to establish an endowment fund; to 
accept gifts, contributions and bequests of funds from individuals, foundations, 
corporations and other organizations or institutions for the purpose of furthering the 
educational objectives of the commission's programs; to make and sign any agreements 
and to do and perform any acts that are necessary to carry out the purposes of this 
chapter.  Any funds, if given as an endowment, must be invested by the Treasurer of State 
according to the laws governing the investment of trust funds.  As determined by the 
Director of the Maine Arts Commission, with the approval of the commission, the 
endowment's principal and interest may be used to further the educational objectives of 
the commission's programs.  The commission may request and receive from any 
department, division, board, bureau, commission or agency of the State such assistance 
and data as necessary to carry out its powers and duties. 
Sec. 2.  27 MRSA §408, as amended by PL 1989, c. 700, Pt. B, §36, is repealed. 
Sec. 3.  27 MRSA §410, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 532, §1, is repealed. 
Sec. 4.  27 MRSA §411, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 762, §1, is repealed. 
Sec. 5.  27 MRSA §412, as enacted by PL 1997, c. 762, §1, is amended to read: 
§412.  Duties of the Maine Arts Commission 
To accomplish the goals of the program, the The Maine Arts Commission shall 
provide leadership in developing and sustaining an agenda for arts education throughout 
the State in partnership with federal, state and local entities.  The commission shall lead 
efforts to make the arts a part of the core education for all students from kindergarten to 
grade 12 and to increase arts opportunities outside the school setting.  The commission 
shall:  
1.  Funding.  Provide funding to 1/3 of the schools in the State each year on a 3-year 
rotating basis; 
2.  Professional artists.  Use professional artists in developing a process for 
achieving learning results; 
3.  School systems.  Invite school systems, through their superintendents, to 
participate in the program; 
4.  Goals.  Work with school systems to identify common education goals; 
5.  Training; information; seed money.  Provide training, information and seed 
money to each local arts education committee composed of school personnel and 
residents of the school district to develop a 3-year plan to increase arts education 
opportunities; and 
6.  Curriculum; projects.  Promote artist residencies, professional development for 
teachers, curriculum development and advocacy and information projects. 
7.  Research.  Conduct research on arts education for elementary and secondary 
schools; and 
8.  Programs.  Operate arts education and outreach programs to combine the 
presentation of art with arts education. 
SUMMARY 
This bill removes language relating to the investment of the Maine Arts Commission 
endowment funds by the Treasurer of State and allows the Director of the Maine Arts 
Commission to expend endowment funds with the approval of the commission.  It repeals 
the Maine Student Artist Awards Program, the arts outreach program and the Arts in 
Education Program and adds more general references to those programs in the duties of 
the commission.  It requires the commission to conduct research on arts education in 
schools and operate arts education and outreach programs to combine the presentation of 
art with arts education.  The bill also repeals several current duties of the commission.