An Act to Equalize Funding for the Maine Maritime Academy
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 2092
Committee Amendment CA_B_S627 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "'?) " to S.P. 885, L.D. 2092, "An Act to Equalize
Funding for the Maine Maritime Academy"
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
'Resolve, to Establish the Commission to Study the Funding of Public Higher
Education'
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following:
'See. 1. Commission established. Resolved: That the Commission to Study the
Funding of Public Higher Education, referred to m this resolve as "the commission," is
established.
Sec. 2. Commission membership. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule
353, the commission consists of 15 members, including;
1. Two members of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate, who serve
on the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, including one member
of the party holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature and one member of the
party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature;
2. Three members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the
House, who serve on the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affau-s,
including 2 members of the party holding the largest number of seats in the Legislature and
one member of the party holding the 2nd largest number of seats in the Legislature;
3. One member with expertise in higher education policy issues representing a
statewide education policy research institute, appointed by the President of the Senate;
4. One member who is a representative of a union representing the faculty of the
Maine Community College System, appointed by the President of the Senate;
5. One member representing the certification and higher education committee of the
State Board of Education, appointed by the President of the Senate;
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " R) " to S.P. 885, L.D. 2092 iS>- (&$}
^S^"'' 1 6. One member who is a representative of a union representing the faculty of the
University of Maine System, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
7. One member who is a representative of a union representing the faculty of the Maine
Maritime Academy, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
8. One member who is currently enrolled as a student at a college or university in the
State, appointed by the Speaker of the House;
9. The Chancellor of the University of Maine System or the chancellor's designee;
10. The President of the Maine Community College System or the president's
designee;
11. The President of the Maine Maritime Academy or the president's designee; and
12. The Commissioner of Education or the commissioner's designee.
In appointing members of the commission, the appointing authorities shall give
consideration to race, gender, socioeconomic diversity and geographic diversity.
Sec. 3. Chairs. Resolved: That the first-named Senate member is the Senate chair
and the first-named House of Representatives member is the House chair of the
commission.
Sec. 4. Appointments; convening of commission. Resolved: That all
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. After appointment of all members,
' the chairs shall call and convene the first meeting of the commission. If 30 days or more
after the effective date of this resolve a majority of but not all appointments have been
made, the chairs may request authority and the Legislative Council may grant authority for
the commission to meet and conduct its business.
Sec. 5. Duties. Resolved: That the commission shall review the methods and
mechanisms by which public institutions of higher education in the State are funded and
make recommendations for potential changes.
In conducting its review, the commission shall analyze present and past fundmg
methods and mechanisms used in the State to determine the State's portion of funding for
the University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System and the Maine
Maritime Academy. The commission shall also explore funding mechanisms used by other
states to fund public institutions of higher education.
To assist the commission in carrymg out its review, the Department of Education, the
University of Maine System, the Maine Community College System and the Maine
Maritime Academy each shall provide to the commission any data and information the
commission requests and considers relevant to its work.
At the discretion of the chairs, the commission may seek input from students, faculty
and staff in the State's public institutions of higher education, groups that have an interest
in the State's public institutions of higher education and other stakeholders.
Sec. 6. Staff assistance. Resolved: That the Legislative Council shall provide
necessary staffing services to the commission, except that Legislative Council staff support
is not authorized when the Legislature is in regular or special session.
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
a^"'
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT " /^ " to S.P. 885, L.D. 2092 (^ • (^^1
Sec. 7. Report. Resolved: That, no later than November 6, 2024, the commission
shall submit a report that includes its findings and recommendations, including suggested
legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. The joint
standing committee may report out a bill related to the report to the 132nd Legislatire in
2025.'
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section
number to read consecutively.
SUMMARY
This amendment, which is the minority report of the committee, replaces the bill with
a resolve. The amendment establishes the Commission to Study the Fundmg of Public
Higher Education to review past, present and alternative methods and mechanisms of
funding public higher education. The commission is required to submit a report to the Joint
Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affau's by November 6,2024,
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
Approved; 03/13/24 .^^S-
LD 2092 LR 2800(03)
An Act to Equalize Funding for the IVIaine Maritime Academy
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "^"^$ (^2^}
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Legislative Cost/Study
Legislative Cost/Study
The general operating expenses of this study are projected to be $3,750 in fiscal year 2024-25. The Legislature's
budget for the 2024-2025 biennium includes $14,500 in each of fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25 for the costs of
legislative studies, as well as $38,909 of balances carried over from prior years for this purpose. 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 staffing assistance to the study during the interim can be
absorbed utilizing existing budgeted staff resources.
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Additional costs to the State Board of Education, the University of Maine System, the M.aine Community College
System, Maine Maritime Academy and the Department of Education associated with serving on the commission can
be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.
LR2800(03) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1
C^S^-7)
No appropriations/allocations section required.
y
y
LR280(^(03)/ App-Alloc - Page 1 of 1