An Act To Include Librarians and Career and Technical Education Teachers in the Minimum $40,000 Salary Initiative
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1188
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: MILLETT, GEIGER, OSHER, SALISBURY
Amends: 20-A MRSA §13407, 20-A MRSA §15689

Legislative Document
No. 1188
H.P. 866
House of Representatives, March 22, 2021
An Act To Include Librarians and Career and Technical Education 
Teachers in the Minimum $40,000 Salary Initiative
(EMERGENCY)
Received by the Clerk of the House on March 18, 2021.  Referred to the Committee on 
Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to 
Joint Rule 401.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MILLETT of Cape Elizabeth.
Cosponsored by Representatives: GEIGER of Rockland, OSHER of Orono, SALISBURY of 
Westbrook.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, this legislation needs to take effect before the expiration of the 90-day 
period in order to ensure that school librarians and career and technical education teachers 
are eligible for the incremental increase in minimum salary for the school year starting after 
June 30, 2021; 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 enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §13407, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 343, Pt. UU, §2, is amended 
to read:
§13407.  Minimum salaries beginning in 2020-2021 school year
Each school administrative unit shall establish a minimum salary for certified teachers; 
librarians as defined in section 15672, subsection 17; and career and technical education 
teachers as follows:
1.  School year 2020-2021.  For the school year starting after June 30, 2020, the 
minimum salary is $35,000;
2.  School year 2021-2022.  For the school year starting after June 30, 2021, the 
minimum salary for certified teachers, librarians and career and technical education 
teachers is $37,500; and
3.  School years beginning in or after 2022.  For the school year starting after June 
30, 2022, and in each subsequent school year, the minimum salary for certified teachers, 
librarians and career and technical education teachers is $40,000.
A school administrative unit shall provide to the department annually on or before 
October 1st the number of certified teachers, librarians and career and technical education 
teachers eligible for incremental salary increases as defined in section 15689, subsection 
7‑A, paragraph A.
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §15689, sub-§7-A, as amended by PL 2019, c. 616, Pt. C, §6, 
is further amended to read:
7-A.  Adjustment for minimum teacher and librarian salary.  Beginning in fiscal 
year 2020-21, the commissioner shall, in accordance with this subsection, increase the state 
share of the total allocation to a qualifying school administrative unit by an amount 
necessary to achieve the minimum salary for certified teachers, librarians and career and 
technical education teachers established in section 13407.
A.  As used in this subsection, unless the context otherwise indicates, "qualifying 
school administrative unit" means a school administrative unit that the commissioner 
determines to have a locally established salary schedule with a minimum teacher salary 
of less than $40,000 in school year 2019-2020.  As used in this subsection, unless the 
context otherwise indicates, "incremental salary increases" means the incremental 
increases in the salaries of certified teachers, librarians and career and technical 
education teachers employed by a qualifying school administrative unit in school year 
2019-2020 necessary to meet the minimum salary requirements of section 13407 from 
fiscal year 2020-21 to fiscal year 2022-23.
B.  The commissioner shall allocate the funds appropriated by the Legislature in 
accordance with the following.
(1)  The amount of increased funds provided to qualifying school administrative 
units under this subsection must be the amount necessary to fund the incremental 
salary increases specified in this subsection.
(2)  The number of certified teachers, librarians and career and technical education 
teachers eligible for incremental salary increases in a qualifying school 
administrative unit for a fiscal year must be based on the information supplied to 
the department pursuant to section 13407 in that fiscal year.
(3)  The increased funds provided under this subsection must be issued to 
qualifying school administrative units as an adjustment to the state school subsidy 
for distribution to the certified teachers, librarians and career and technical 
education teachers. Qualifying school administrative units shall use the payments 
provided under this subsection to provide salary adjustments to those certified 
teachers, librarians and career and technical education teachers eligible for 
incremental salary increases.  The department shall collect the necessary data to 
allow the funds to be included in a qualifying school administrative unit's monthly 
subsidy payments beginning no later than February 1st of each fiscal year.
(4)  Funding for incremental salary increases in fiscal year 2020-21 must be based 
on data submitted to the department and certified by school administrative units as 
of October 1, 2019.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill includes school librarians and career and technical education teachers in the 
minimum $40,000 salary for teachers initiative.