An Act To Facilitate the Use of State Education Subsidies
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1475
Committee Amendment CA_A_S388 (Senate)
Amends: 20-A MRSA §1485, 20-A MRSA §1486

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 573, L.D. 1475, Bill, "An Act To 
Facilitate the Use of State Education Subsidies" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
emergency clause and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §1485, sub-§5 is enacted to read: 
5. Additional state subsidy. The warrant presented to the legislative body of the 
regional school unit at a regional school unit budget meeting may include an article or 
articles providing that. in the event that the regional school unit receives more state 
education subsidy than the amount included in its budget, the regional school unit board 
is authorized to use all or part of the additional subsidy to: 
A. Increase expenditures for school pumoses in cost center categories approved by 
the regional school unit board. If that article is approved by the voters at the budget 
meeting. the regional school unit board may increase expenditures for school 
pumoses in cost center categories approved by the regional school unit board as 
provided in the article, without holding a special budget meeting and budget 
validation referendum; 
B. Increase the allocation of finances in a reserve fund. If that article is approved by 
the voters at the budget meeting. the regional school unit board may increase the 
allocation of finances for a reserve fund approved by the regional school unit board 
as provided in the article. without holding a special budget meeting and budget 
validation referendum; or 
C. 
Decrease the local cost share expectation. as defined in section 15671-A, 
subsection 1. paragraph B. for local property taxpayers for funding public education. 
If that article is approved by the voters at the budget meeting, the regional school unit 
board may decrease the local cost share expectation for local property taxpayers 
approved by the regional school unit board as provided in the article, without holding 
a special budget meeting and budget validation referendum. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
R OF"· 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" ,ti" to S.P. 573, L.D. 1475 
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §1486, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2009, c. 571, Pt. QQQ, 
§2, is further amended to read: 
2. Validation referendum procedures. The budget validation referendum must be 
held on or before the 30th calendar day following the scheduled date of the regional 
school unit budget meeting. The referendum may not be held on a Sunday or legal 
holiday. The vote at referendum is for the purpose of approving or rejecting the total 
regional school unit budget approved at the regional school unit budget meeting. The 
regional school unit board shall provide printed information to be displayed at polling 
places to assist voters in voting. 
That information is limited to the total amounts 
proposed by the regional school unit board for each cost center summary budget category 
article, the amount approved at the regional school unit budget meeting, a summary of the 
total authorized expenditures and, if applicable because of action on an article under 
section 15690, subsection 3, paragraph A, a statement that the amount approved at the 
regional school unit budget meeting includes locally raised funds that exceed the 
maximum state and local spending target pursuant to section 15671-A, subsection 5. If 
the legislative body of the regional school unit at the regional school unit budget meeting 
approves an article pursuant to section 1485, subsection 5, the substance of the article 
must be included in the printed information displayed at polling places for the budget 
validation referendum.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment strikes and replaces the bill. The bill authorizes a regional school 
unit to include an article in the warrant for its annual budget meeting providing that, in 
the event that the regional school unit receives more state education subsidy than the 
amount included in its budget, the regional school unit board is authorized to increase 
expenditures for school purposes in cost center categories approved by the regional 
school unit board, without a special budget meeting and budget validation referendum. 
The amendment retains that provision and allows a regional school unit to include such 
articles for the purposes of increasing the allocation of finances in a reserve fund and 
decreasing the local cost share expectation for local property taxpayers for funding public 
education. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: 03/04/16 ::wac 
LD 1475 
LR2329(02) 
An Act To Facilitate the Use of State Education Subsidies 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ''A" 5- 31'& 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
No State fiscal impact 
Allowing a Regional School Unit (RSU) to include in the warrant for its annual budget meeting an article or articles 
authorizing the RSU Board to take certain actions in the event that additional state subsidy for K-12 public education 
is received above the amount in it's current budget will have no fiscal impact on the State. However, to the extent that 
these additional funds result in increased spending by school units, the calculation of the RSU's future state subsidy 
may be impacted. 
LR2329(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I