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An Act To Allow the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf To Lease Classroom Space to Independent Schools
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  this legislation will allow the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf to enter into agreements to lease space at those schools to elementary schools; and
Whereas,  this legislation needs to take effect in time to allow those elementary schools to plan for the 2006-2007 school year; 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 §7407, sub-§6,  as amended by PL 1999, c. 775, §11, is further amended to read:
 
6.  Collection of fees.   The school board may charge service, lease and rental fees for use of facilities of the school. Any funds received for service, lease and rental fees must be retained by the school.
Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §7407, sub-§12-A  is enacted to read:
 
12-A.   Lease of school property.     The school board may enter into lease agreements with independent accredited elementary schools to allow those independent accredited elementary schools to use school property, including the use of the school facilities on Mackworth Island. Any funds received pursuant to this subsection must be used by the school board to benefit statewide educational services. 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this Act takes effect when approved.
 
SUMMARY
This bill specifically provides authority to the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf and the Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing to lease facilities of the school to independent accredited elementary schools. Funds from this type of lease must be used to benefit the consultation services provided to families of children from birth to 5 years of age who are deaf or hard-of-hearing students, consulting services to school administrative units that serve school-age deaf or hard-of-hearing children and services provided through the parent-infant-toddler program, the preschool program and the communication garden program provided at the center school.