An Act To Reorganize the Provision of Services for Children with Disabilities from Birth to 5 Years of Age
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 1870
Committee Amendment CA_A_S457 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A." to S.P. 713, L.D. 1870, Bill, "An Act To 
Reorganize the Provision of Services for Children with Disabilities from Birth to 5 Years 
of Age" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'Resolve, To Create the Task Force To Study and Plan for the Implementation of 
Maine's Early Childhood Special Education Services' 
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, the Task Force To Study and Plan for the Implementation of Maine's 
Early Childhood Special Education Services, established by this resolve, is convened to 
address the effectiveness, efficiency, accountability and costs of early childhood special 
education systems in this State; and 
Whereas, the study must be initiated before the 90-day period expires in order that 
the study may be completed and a report submitted in time for submission to the next 
legislative session; 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 
Sec. 1. Task force established. Resolved: That the Task Force To Study and 
Plan for the Implementation of Maine's Early Childhood Special Education Services, 
referred to in this resolve as 
11the task force,
is established to study and plan for the 
implementation of Maine's early childhood special education programs and services 
provided for young children from 3 years of age to 5 years of age; and be it further 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
cf.I~" 
f\, v' 
CO:MMITI'EE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 713, L.D. 1870 
Sec. 2. Task force membership. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 
353, the task force consists of 23 members appointed as follows: 
1. Two members of the Senate, one from each of the 2 parties holding the largest 
number of seats in the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate; 
2. Two members of the House of Representatives, one from each of the 2 parties 
holding the largest number of seats in the House of Representatives, appointed by the 
Speaker of the House; 
3. Seventeen members appointed as follows: 
A. Two members who are parents of children with a disability between 3 years of 
age and 5 years of age, one from an urban community and one from a rural 
community, appointed by the President of the Senate. The 2 members must have 
knowledge of or experience with programs for children with disabilities; 
B. One member who is a contracted service provider of early intervention and free, 
appropriate public education services, representing the Maine Association for 
Community Service Providers, appointed by the Speaker of the House; 
C. One member who is a Child Development Services System staff member who 
provides direct services, appointed by the Speaker of the House; 
D. One member who is a representative of a Head Start agency or program in the 
State, representing Head Start programs in Maine, appointed by the President of the 
Senate; 
E. One member who is a representative of a child care program, appointed by the 
Speaker of the House; 
F. 
Two members who are teachers in early childhood education programs for 
children 4 years of age that include coordination of programs and services for eligible 
children within a public elementary school, one from a large school administrative 
unit and one from a small school administrative unit, representing the Maine 
Education Association, appointed by the President of the Senate; 
G. 
Two members who are special education directors, one from a large school 
administrative unit and one from a small school administrative unit, representing the 
Maine Administrators of Services for Children with Disabilities, appointed by the 
President of the Senate; 
H. One member who is a principal of a public elementary school of a small school 
administrative unit that has implemented an early childhood education program for 
children 4 years of age that includes coordination of programs and services for 
eligible children, representing the Maine Principals' Association, appointed by the 
Speaker of the House; 
I. One member who serves as a superintendent of a large school administrative unit 
that has implemented an early childhood education program for children 4 years of 
age that includes coordination of programs and services for eligible children, 
representing the Maine School Superintendents Association, appointed by the 
Speaker of the House; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
1\. (!\ 'a, 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 713, L.D. 1870 
J. One member who serves as a school board member of a school administrative unit 
that has implemented an early childhood education program for children 4 years of 
age that includes coordination of programs and services for eligible children, 
appointed by the Speaker of the House; 
K. 
One member representing the Maine Developmental Disabilities Council, 
appointed by the Speaker of the House; 
L. One member representing pediatricians, appointed by the President of the Senate; 
M. 
One member representing a statewide association of occupational therapists, 
appointed by the President of the Senate; and 
N. One member representing a statewide association of speech, language and hearing 
therapists, appointed by the Speaker of the House; 
4. The Commissioner of Education or the commissioner's designee; and 
5. The Commissioner of Health and Human Services or the commissioner's designee; 
and be it further 
Sec. 3. Chairs. Resolved: That the President of the Senate and the Speaker of 
the House shall each appoint one member of the task force to serve as cochair, except 
that, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the 
House may not appoint a Legislator to serve as a chair of the task force. Notwithstanding 
Joint Rule 353, the chairs may appoint, as nonvoting members of the task force, 
individuals with expertise in areas relevant to early childhood development services and 
systems; and be it further 
Sec. 4. Appointments; convening of task force. Resolved: That all the 
appointments must be made no later than 30 days following the effective date of this 
resolve. The appointing authorities shall notify the Executive Director of the Legislative 
Council once all appointments have been completed. Within 15 days after appointment 
of all members, the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the task force. If 3 0 
days or more after enactment of this legislation a majority of but not all of the 
appointments have been made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative 
Council may grant authority for the task force to meet and conduct its business; and be it 
further 
Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: That the task force shall examine: 
1. National trends and relevant models of governing and delivering early childhood 
special education systems in other states and jurisdictions that hold the potential for 
enhancing the effectiveness, efficiency or accountability of the early childhood special 
education system in the State; 
2. The short-term and long-term costs and benefits of the Department of Education's 
7 
proposed plan to restructure the Child Development Services System as presented by the 
Commissioner of Education to the Legislature in Legislative Document 1870 in the 
3. 
The findings and recommendations of the Subcommittee To Study Early 
Childhood Special Education in its January 2007 report; 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
i. 
~ ':). 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 713, L.D. 1870 
4. 
The findings and recommendations of the Office of Program Evaluation and 
Government Accountability in its July 2012 report on child development services; and 
5. Any other issues the task force determines to be useful or necessary concerning 
early childhood special education systems matters; and be it further 
Sec. 6. Development of recommendations; plan. Resolved: That the task 
force shall develop recommendations for an early childhood special education services 
program plan, which must include, but is not limited to: 
1. Models of best practices; 
2. Fiscally sound budget forecasting, including all possible revenue streams and 
updated costs; 
3. Transportation services; 
4. Data systems, including a billing system, a system that allows coordination with 
the MaineCare program and a case management documentation system; 
5. A timeline for the implementation of the plan under this section; 
6. A procedure for data collection and analysis conducted by the Maine Education 
Policy Research Institute; 
7. A method for assessing a school administrative unit's capacity for implementing 
early childhood special education programs; 
8. Training requirements for service providers and leaders; 
9. Public information communication strategy for implementation of the plan; and 
10. Identification of potential revisions to the Department of Health and Human 
Services' rule Chapter 101: MaineCare Benefits Manual; and be it further 
Sec. 7. Authorized meetings. Resolved: That the task force may hold no more 
than 6 meetings; and be it further 
Sec. 8. Staff assistance. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the 
Legislative Council shall contract for a facilitator for the task force using a request for 
proposals process. 
The Office of Policy and Legal Analysis shall provide drafting 
assistance to the task force; and be it further 
Sec. 9. Compensation. Resolved: That legislative members of the task force are 
entitled to receive the legislative per diem and reimbursement for travel and other 
necessary expenses related to their attendance at authorized meetings of the task force. 
Other members of the task force may not receive compensation for their participation on 
the task force; and be it further 
Sec. 10. Report. Resolved: That, no later than December 5, 2018, the task force 
shall submit a report containing its fmdings, recommendations and plan, including 
suggested legislation, for presentation to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and 
Cultural Affairs. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over 
education matters may submit a bill to the First Regular Session of the 129th Legislature; 
and be it further 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
~.~~· 
CO:M::tvllTTEEAMENDMENT "A" to S.P. 713, L.D. 1870 
Sec. 11. Appropriations and allocations. Resolved: 
That the following 
appropriations and allocations are made. 
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF 
Child Development Services 0449 
Initiative: Provides one-time funds to address the Child Development Services System 
budgetary shortfall. 
GENERAL FUND 
All Other 
GENERAL FUND TOTAL 
SUMMARY 
2017-18 
$0 
$0 
2018-19 
$3,700,000 
$3,700,000 
This amendment, which is the majority report of the committee, strikes and replaces 
the bill with a resolve establishing the Task Force To Study and Plan for the 
Implementation of Maine's Early Childhood Special Education Services to examine the 
national trends and relevant models of governing and delivering early childhood special 
education systems and the short-term and long-term costs and benefits to the Department 
of Education's proposed plan to restructure the Child Development Services System and 
to make recommendations for an early childhood special education services program 
plan. The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section to provide 
$3,700,000 in the 2nd year of the biennium to address the Child Development Services 
System budgetary shortfall. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 04/09/18 frac.. 
LD 1870 
LR 2729(02) 
An Act To Reorganize the Provision of Services for Children with Disabilities from Birth to 5 Years of 
Age 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ''f.,.' ( S- l/'o,-i) 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Legislative Cost/Study 
FY 2017-18 
FY 2018-19 
Projections 
FY 2019-20 
Projections 
FY 2020-21 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Appropriations/ Allocations 
General Fund 
Legislative Cost/Study 
$0 
$0 
$3,700,000 
$0 
$3,700,000 
$0 
The general operating expenses of this study are projected to be $3 ,500 in fiscal year 2017-18 and $3, 7 50 in fiscal 
year 2018-19. The Legislature's budget includes approximately $7,000 in fiscal year 2017-18 and $10,000 in fiscal 
year 2018-19 for legislative studies. Whether these amounts are sufficient to fund all studies will depend on the 
number of studies authorized by the Legislative Council and the Legislature. The additional costs of providing 
drafting assistance to the study during the interim can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted staff resources. 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
This bill includes a one-time General Fund appropriation of $3, 700,000 in fiscal year 2018-19 to the Child 
Development Services Program within the Department of Education to address a budgeta1y shortfall. 
$0 
$0 
Any additional costs to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education to take pmi 
in the Task Force are expected to be minor and can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources. 
LR2729(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1