An Act to Establish the African American Studies Advisory Council and Require Funding for African American Studies
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 2001
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: TALBOT ROSS, DUSON, BRENNAN, HICKMAN, LIBBY, RAFFERTY
Amends: 5 MRSA §25007, 20-A MRSA §4706, 20-A MRSA §4706-A

Legislative Document
No. 2001
H.P. 1279
House of Representatives, May 25, 2023
An Act to Establish the African American Studies Advisory Council 
and Require Funding for African American Studies
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Speaker TALBOT ROSS of Portland.
Cosponsored by Senator DUSON of Cumberland and
Representative: BRENNAN of Portland, Senators: HICKMAN of Kennebec, LIBBY of 
Cumberland, RAFFERTY of York.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  5 MRSA §25007, sub-§1, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2019, c. 457, §2, is 
amended to read:
B.  Seek public input by conducting public hearings annually to obtain information 
about the needs of and solutions to the problems faced by historically disadvantaged 
racial, indigenous and tribal populations; and
Sec. 2.  5 MRSA §25007, sub-§1, ¶C, as amended by PL 2021, c. 398, Pt. RRRR, 
§1, is further amended to read:
C.  Beginning March 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, report to the Governor and the 
Legislature concerning the work and interests of the commission, including a summary 
of public comments obtained pursuant to paragraph B.; and
Sec. 3.  5 MRSA §25007, sub-§1, ¶D is enacted to read:
D.  Provide staffing assistance to the African American Studies Advisory Council 
established in Title 20-A, section 4706-A, subsection 1.
Sec. 4.  20-A MRSA §4706, sub-§4 is enacted to read:
4.  Funding for African American studies.  The department shall provide ongoing 
funding for the inclusion of African American studies in nationally accredited and state-
approved teacher preparation programs and school administrative districts, including 
funding that school administrative districts can apply for to fund African American studies 
resources, such as coordinators.
Sec. 5.  20-A MRSA §4706-A is enacted to read:
§4706-A.  African American Studies Advisory Council
1. Advisory council established; purpose.  The African American Studies Advisory 
Council, referred to in this section as "the advisory council," is established within the 
Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Tribal Populations, 
established by Title 5, section 12004-J, subsection 19, to serve as a resource to educators, 
school administrative units and the public by offering educational online and on-site 
programming related to the State's African American history.
2.  Membership.  The advisory council is composed of 13 members who have 
experience in African American studies. The membership of the council consists of the 
following:
A. One member who is a representative of an African American civil rights 
organization, appointed by the President of the Senate from a list provided by a 
statewide African American civil rights organization;
B. Two members with expertise in teaching African American studies, at least one of 
whom is a scholar in African American studies, appointed by the President of the 
Senate from a list provided by an organization that supports the teaching of African 
American studies;
C.  One member appointed by the President of the Senate from a list provided by the 
administrator of the Gerald E. Talbot Collection at the University of Southern Maine;
D.  Four members appointed by the commissioner as follows:
(1) An elementary school teacher;
(2) A middle school teacher;
(3) A high school teacher; and 
(4) A curriculum director with experience in teaching African American studies;
E. One member appointed by the Chancellor of the University of Maine System who 
specializes in teacher education with experience in teaching African American studies;
F.  The State Archivist; and 
G. Three members of the public, appointed by the Speaker of the House, with 
demonstrated participation in African American community organizations.
3.  Chair; subcommittees.  The advisory council shall select a chair from among the 
members of the advisory council. The chair is authorized to appoint subcommittees.
4.  Terms.  A member is appointed for a term of 3 years and may be reappointed.  
5. Vacancies.  In the event of a vacancy in the membership of the advisory council, the 
vacancy must be filled in the manner of the original appointment for the remainder of the 
term.
6.  Duties.  The advisory council shall:
A.  Assist school administrative units and educators in the exploration of a wide range 
of educational materials and resources relating to African American studies;
B.  Identify materials and resources for implementing African American studies; 
C.  Involve other knowledgeable organizations and individuals able and willing to 
assist with the duties described in paragraphs A and B, including, but not limited to, 
museums and educators;
D.  Make recommendations to the department regarding:
(1)  African American studies curricula; 
(2)  Funding of African American studies in school administrative units; 
(3)  African American studies courses that count toward teacher certification; and
(4)  Implementation of teacher education programs and teacher professional 
development in African American studies;
E.  Work with the department to develop a process to support and enable a school 
administrative unit to conduct an internal audit of that school administrative unit's 
curriculum to ensure an equitable representation of African American voices and an 
accurate historical account of African American history and culture. Audits conducted 
pursuant to this paragraph must occur at least once every 2 years; and
F.  Submit a report on the progress of the implementation and status of curriculum 
audits conducted pursuant to paragraph E to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters no later than February 1st 
annually.
7.  Staff assistance and resources.  The Permanent Commission on the Status of 
Racial, Indigenous and Tribal Populations shall provide staffing assistance to the advisory 
council.
Sec. 6.  20-A MRSA c. 513 is enacted to read:
CHAPTER 513
TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN AFRICAN AMERICAN STUDIES
§13961.  Teacher education programs
The department shall establish and provide funding for a state teacher education 
program in African American studies, including Maine African American studies.  The 
department shall provide funding for a nationally accredited teacher education program in 
African American studies as described in section 4706, subsection 4.  The department shall 
adopt rules to implement this section.  Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
§13962. Teacher professional development in African American studies
The department shall provide funding for teacher professional development in African 
American studies. The department, with input from the African American Studies Advisory 
Council in accordance with section 4706-A, subsection 6, paragraph D, shall adopt rules to 
implement this section. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as 
defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
§13963.  Summer teacher institute in African American studies
The department shall establish a summer teacher institute in African American studies.  
The department shall adopt rules to implement this section.  Rules adopted pursuant to this 
section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 7.  Appointments to African American Studies Advisory Council; 
convening.  No later than 30 days following the effective date of this Act, the appointing 
authorities shall make their appointments to the African American Studies Advisory 
Council as required pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 4706-A, 
subsection 2.  Within 30 days of the appointments being made, the executive director of 
the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Tribal Populations shall 
call and convene the first meeting of the African American Studies Advisory Council 
established in Title 20-A, section 4706-A, subsection 1 and preside over the selection of a 
chair.
Sec. 8.  Staggered terms. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, 
section 4706-A, subsection 4, at the initial meeting of the African American Studies 
Advisory Council, members shall draw lots to determine members' initial term lengths so 
that the initial terms of 4 members expire after one year, the initial terms of 4 members 
expire after 2 years and the initial terms of 5 members expire after 3 years.
SUMMARY
This bill establishes the African American Studies Advisory Council to serve as a 
resource to educators, school administrative units and the public by offering educational 
online and on-site programming related to the State's African American history.  The 
advisory council is required to work with the Department of Education to develop a process 
to support and enable a school administrative unit to conduct an internal audit of that school 
administrative unit's curriculum to ensure an equitable representation of African American 
voices and an accurate historical account of African American history and culture. Audits 
must occur at least once every 2 years.  The advisory council is established within the 
Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Tribal Populations, which 
is required to provide staffing and assistance to the advisory council.
The bill directs the department to establish and fund teacher education programs and 
teacher professional development programs, including a summer teacher institute, in 
African American studies and Maine African American studies.  The bill also requires the 
department to provide ongoing funding for the inclusion of African American studies in 
teacher preparation programs and school administrative districts, including funding that 
school administrative districts can apply for to fund African American studies resources, 
such as coordinators.