An Act To Exclude Certain State-funded Costs from the State Share of the Total Cost of Funding Public Education
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 0025
Committee Amendment CA_A_H505 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to H.P. 23, LD. 25, Bill, "An Act To Exclude 
Certain State-funded Costs from the State Share of the Total Cost of Funding Public 
Education" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and 
inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. 'Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, a supplemental budget bill enacted during the 125th Legislature redefined 
the calculation of the state share percentage of the total cost of funding public education 
from kindergarten to grade 12 as required by the Essential Programs and Services 
Funding Act to include the state contributions to teacher retirement, retired teachers' 
health insurance and retired teachers' life insurance; and 
Whereas, the initiated leg:.slation enacted in 2005 to implement the 2004 citizen's 
initiative that requires the State to provide 55% of the total cost of funding public 
education from kindergarten to grade 12 as required by the Essential Programs and 
Services Funding Act did not include the total state contributions to teacher retirement, 
retired teachers' health insurance and retired teachers' life insurance as part of the total 
costs of essential programs and ~:ervices required under the school funding laws; and 
Whereas, it is necessary to restore the standard defined and voted on by the citizens 
of the State in 2004 by replacing the provision that includes the total state contributions to 
teacher retirement, retired teach(:rs' health insurance and retired teachers' life insurance as 
part of the total costs of essential programs and services required under the school 
funding laws 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, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~~. 
~. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 'A " 
to H.P. 23, L.D. 25 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 20-A MRS A §15671, sub-§7, ~C, as amended by PL 2013, c. 1, Pt. C, 
§2, is further amended to read: 
C. 
BegiHHiHg iH fiseal year 2011 12, the The annual targets for the state share 
percentage of the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12 
including the cost of the components of essential programs and services pllis the state 
eOHtriblitioHS to teaeher retiremeHt, retired teaehers' health iHsmaHee and retired 
teaehers' life iHsliraHee are as follows. 
(1) For fiscal year 2011-12, the target is 49.47%. 
(2) For fiscal year 2012-13, the target is 49.35% . 
(3) For fiscal year 2013-14 and succeeding years, the target is 55%. 
Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and 
allocations are made. 
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
General Purpose Aid for Local Schools 0308 
Initiative: Provides for the additional funds necessary to achieve the statutory 
commitment for the State to fund 55% of the total cost of funding public education from 
kindergarten to grade 12 beginning in fiscal year 2013-14. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
2013-14 
2014-15 
$153,600,000 $152,400,000 
$153,600,000 $152,400,000 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment, which is the majority report of the Joint Standing Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs, adds an emergency preamble and clause to the bill, but 
retains the provision in the bill that the state contributions to teacher retirement, retired 
teachers' health insurance and retired teachers' life insurance may not be included in the 
calculation of the state share percentage of the total cost of funding public education from 
kindergarten to grade 12 as required by the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act. 
The amendment provides that the state share percentage target for fiscal year 2013-14 and 
succeeding years is 55%. 
This amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/12/l3 
.-:tvac 
LD25 
LR273(02) 
An Act To Exclude Certain State-funded Costs from the State Share of the Total Cost of Funding 
Public Education 
Fl.ca' Note for Billa. Amended by Committee Amendment:4 ( j.\ -5D5 ) 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/Allocations 
General Fund 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fis'l!al Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Projections FY Projections FY 
FY 2013-14 
FY 2014-15 
2015-16 
2016-17 
$153,600,000 
$152,400,000 
$152,400,000 
$152,400,000 
$153,600,000 
$152,400,000 
$152,400,000 
$152,400,000 
This bill includes General Fund appropriations of$153,600,000 in fiscal year 2013-14 and $152,400,000 per year 
beginning in fiscal year 2014-15 to the General :Purpose Aid for Local Schools program within the Department of 
Education to increase the State's contribution toward funding the total cost of public education from kindergarten to 
grade 12, including the cost of the components of essential programs and services from 47.3% in fiscal year 2013-14, 
as proposed in LD 1509, the 2014-2015 biennial budget, as amended, to 55%. 
LH 1509, as 
LD 1509, as 
am'ended, FY 
LD 25 FY 2013-
amended,FY 
LD 25 FY 2014-
2013-14 
2014-15 
Total Cost of Funding Public Education 
$ 1,992,465,618 
$ 1,992,465,618 
$ 1,992,083,006 $ 1,992,083,006 
State Contribution 
$ 
942,295,406 
$ 1,095,895,406 
$ 
943,236,080 $ 1,095,686,080 
State share percentage 
47.3% 
55.0% 
47.3% 
55.0% 
Additional GF appropriation needed: 
$ 
153,600,000 
$ 
152,450,000 
LR0273(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1