An Act to Allow School Budget Referenda on the Same Day as Primary Elections
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1022
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: ARATA, KEIM, BRIDGEO, CLOUTIER, CYRWAY, DHALAC, DRINKWATER, MURPHY, PAULHUS
Amends: 20-A MRSA §1482-A, 20-A MRSA §1486, 20-A MRSA §1488

Legislative Document
No. 1022
H.P. 658
House of Representatives, March 7, 2023
An Act to Allow School Budget Referenda on the Same Day as 
Primary Elections
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative ARATA of New Gloucester.
Cosponsored by Senator KEIM of Oxford and
Representatives: BRIDGEO of Augusta, CLOUTIER of Lewiston, CYRWAY of Albion, 
DHALAC of South Portland, DRINKWATER of Milford, MURPHY of Scarborough, 
PAULHUS of Bath.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §1482-A, first ¶, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 668, §17, is 
amended to read:
A Unless preempted by the charter provisions of the regional school unit, beginning 
January 1, 2024, participating municipalities in a regional school unit may limit the time 
period in which a regional school unit board shall may hold a regional school unit budget 
meeting at a time it determines to at least 45 days prior to the date of the statewide primary 
or referendum election in June or the 2nd Tuesday in June if a statewide primary or 
referendum election is not held in June of that year.
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §1486, sub-§2, as amended by PL 2015, c. 463, §2, is further 
amended to read:
2.  Validation referendum procedures.  The Beginning January 1, 2024, participating 
municipalities in a regional school unit may limit the time period in which a 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 to the same date as the statewide primary or referendum 
election in June or on the 2nd Tuesday in June if a statewide primary or referendum election 
is not held in June of that year.  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.
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §1488, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13, is 
amended to read:
§1488.  Special budget meeting
The regional school unit board may call a special budget meeting when it declares that 
an emergency exists. The voters of the regional school unit may authorize the regional 
school unit board at a special regional school unit budget meeting to expend additional 
funds from the regional school unit's undesignated fund balance or to pledge the credit of 
the regional school unit to obtain additional money for the operation of schools. A special 
budget meeting held on or after July 1, 2008 January 1, 2024 must be conducted in 
accordance with sections 1485 and 1486, except that a regional school unit board may call 
a special budget meeting at a time it determines and the budget validation referendum must 
be no later than the 45th calendar day following the scheduled date of the special budget 
meeting. The referendum may not be held on a Sunday or legal holiday.
Sec. 4.  Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2024.
SUMMARY
This bill allows participating municipalities of a regional school unit beginning January 
1, 2024 to limit the time period in which a regional school unit budget meeting or 
referendum may be held to at least 45 days prior to the date of a statewide primary or 
referendum election in June or the 2nd Tuesday in June if a statewide primary or 
referendum election in not held in June of that year.