An Act to Allow the Spouse of a School Board Member to Serve as a
Maine Legislature, Session 132, LD 0513
Sponsors: MOORE, TUELL
Amends: 20-A MRSA §1002

Legislative Document
No. 513
S.P. 232
In Senate, February 11, 2025
An Act to Allow the Spouse of a School Board Member to Serve as a 
Stipend Employee Within the School Board's Jurisdiction
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on February 7, 2025.  Referred to the Committee 
on Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator MOORE of Washington.
Cosponsored by Representative TUELL of East Machias and
Representatives: MCINTYRE of Lowell, QUINT of Hodgdon, SAYRE of Kennebunk, 
STROUT of Harrington.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA §1002, sub-§1, ¶A-1, as enacted by PL 2021, c. 242, §2, is 
amended to read:
A-1.  "Stipend employee" means a person who receives limited monetary payment or 
benefits, through a series of payments or in a lump sum, for personal services 
performed in an advisory, mentoring or coaching capacity for a school administrative 
unit.
This paragraph is repealed July 1, 2028.
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §1002, sub-§2, ¶B is enacted to read:
B.  A school board may permit the spouse of a member of the school board to serve as 
a stipend employee on a contractual basis when that action is in the best interest of 
students and a summation of potential conflicts of interest is documented and steps to 
mitigate potential risks or negative outcomes are described in the signed contract.  A 
school board may adopt a written policy on nepotism that includes hiring practices for 
school-sanctioned stipend positions, discourages favoritism and political patronage, 
considers the needs of the school system and provides that all qualified applicants have 
a fair and equal opportunity to be selected on merit, with priority selection 
consideration given to the best interest of students without restrictions based solely on 
family association.
This paragraph is repealed July 1, 2028.
Sec. 3.  20-A MRSA §1002, sub-§2-C is enacted to read:
2-C.  Permissive volunteer placement by school administrative unit, school union, 
academy.  Notwithstanding subsection 2-A, a school board may permit a school board 
member's spouse to serve as a volunteer. A school board may adopt a written policy on 
nepotism to discourage favoritism and political patronage, consider the needs of the school 
system and provide that all volunteers have a fair and equal opportunity to be selected on 
merit, with priority consideration given to the best interest of students without restrictions 
based solely on family association.
This subsection is repealed July 1, 2028.
SUMMARY
This bill provides that a school board may permit a school board member's spouse to 
serve as a stipend employee and a volunteer. A school board may adopt a written policy on 
nepotism that includes hiring practices for school-sanctioned stipend positions, discourages 
favoritism and political patronage, considers the needs of the school system and provides 
that all qualified applicants or volunteers have a fair and equal opportunity to be selected 
on merit, with priority consideration given to the best interest of students without 
restrictions based solely on family association. The bill's provisions include a repeal date 
of July 1, 2028.