An Act Regarding the Use of Unanticipated State Aid for Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0236
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: STEARNS, FARNSWORTH, HIGGINS, LYFORD, SAMPSON
Amends: 20-A MRSA §1485

Legislative Document
No. 236
H.P. 199
House of Representatives, January 22, 2019
An Act Regarding the Use of Unanticipated State Aid for 
Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative STEARNS of Guilford.
Cosponsored by Representatives: FARNSWORTH of Portland, HIGGINS of Dover-Foxcroft, 
LYFORD of Eddington, SAMPSON of Alfred.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §1485, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 463, §1, is 
amended 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 must 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 purposes 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 
purposes 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.  If as a result of the 
additional subsidy a school administrative unit board does not raise 100% of the 
required local contribution pursuant to section 15690, section 1, the commissioner 
shall waive the required proration of the state share pursuant to section 15690, 
subsection 1, paragraph C.
SUMMARY
This bill requires the warrant presented to the legislative body of the regional school 
unit to include an article describing how unanticipated school aid will be used.  In cases 
where the adjustment prevents the regional school unit board from raising 100% of the 
required local share, the Commissioner of Education must waive the required proration of 
the state share.