An Act To Increase Funding To Support Research and Development in the University of Maine System

Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §1666,  as amended by PL 2005, c. 601, §4, is further amended by enacting a new 4th paragraph to read:

Beginning for fiscal year 2008-09, a budget document transmitted by the Governor or Governor-elect must include a funding level recommendation for research and development at the University of Maine System through the Maine Economic Improvement Fund established in Title 10, chapter 107-C. The funding level recommendation for fiscal year 2008-09 must be an amount not less than 1% of the total actual General Fund revenue for fiscal year 2007-08, and for each subsequent fiscal year the percentage of the prior year’s General Fund revenue that determines the funding level recommendation must increase by an amount not less than two tenths of 1% so that the funding level recommendation for fiscal year 2018-19 must equal not less than 3% of the General Fund revenues for fiscal year 2017-18. For a fiscal year subsequent to fiscal year 2017-18, a funding level recommendation required under this paragraph must be an amount not less than 3% of the General Fund revenues for the previous fiscal year. If a budget document transmitted by the Governor or Governor-elect contains a funding level recommendation for such research and development is less than the amount required by this paragraph, the Governor or Governor-elect shall simultaneously with the transmission of the budget document submit a report explaining the funding difference to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over research and development matters.

summary

This bill requires the Governor or Governor-elect to include in the budget submitted to the Legislature beginning in fiscal year 2008-09 a funding level recommendation for research and development for the University of Maine System through the Maine Economic Improvement Fund that equals at least 1% of the previous year’s General Fund revenue and to increase the amount of the previous General Fund revenue each fiscal year by two tenths of 1% so that the funding level recommendation for fiscal year 2018-19 and beyond will equal at least 3% of the General Fund revenues for the previous fiscal year. If the Governor or Governor-elect recommends less than these amounts, then the Governor must submit a report explaining the funding difference to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs matters and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over research and development matters.