HP0274
LD 353
First Regular Session - 124th Maine Legislature
H "A" to C "A", Filing Number H-377, Sponsored by MCFADDEN
Text: MS-Word, RTF or PDF
LR 825
Item 6
Bill Tracking Chamber Status

Amend the amendment by striking out all of Part CCCC.

Amend the amendment by striking out all of Part KKKK.

Amend the amendment by inserting after Part ZZZZ the following:

PART AAAAA

Sec. AAAAA-1. 20-A MRSA §1465, sub-§3,  as enacted by PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13, is amended to read:

3. Referendum for a school administrative unit to join an existing regional school unit.  The municipal officers of each municipality in a proposed reorganized school administrative unit shall place a warrant article substantially as follows on the ballot of a municipal referendum in accordance with the referendum procedures applicable to the school administrative unit of which the municipality is a member.
"Article: Do you favor approving the school reorganization plan prepared by the (insert name) Reorganization Planning Committee for school administrative unit (insert name of affected school administrative unit) to join the regional school unit (name of regional school unit), with an effective date of (insert date)?

Yes No"

The following statement must accompany the article:

"Explanation:
A "YES" vote means that you approve of the (municipality or school administrative unit) joining the proposed regional school unit. The financial penalties under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15696 to the existing school administrative unit will no longer apply to the proposed regional school unit."

Sec. AAAAA-2. 20-A MRSA §1465, sub-§4,  as enacted by PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §13, is amended to read:

4. Referendum on the admission of an additional school administrative unit to an existing regional school unit.  If the vote to join a regional school unit under subsection 3 was in the affirmative, the existing regional school unit shall call a regional school unit referendum to vote on the following article.
"Article: Do you favor approving the school reorganization plan prepared by the (insert name) Reorganization Planning Committee for school administrative unit (insert name of affected school administrative unit) to join the regional school unit (name of regional school unit), with an effective date of (insert date)?

Yes No"

The following statement must accompany the article:

"Explanation:
A "YES" vote means that you approve of the (municipality or school administrative unit) joining the proposed regional school unit. The financial penalties under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15696 to the existing school administrative unit will no longer apply to the proposed regional school unit."

Sec. AAAAA-3. 20-A MRSA §15696,  as amended by PL 2007, c. 668, §§39 to 41 and c. 695, Pt. A, §23, is repealed.

Sec. AAAAA-4. PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §36, sub-§11,  as amended by PL 2007, c. 668, §47, is further amended to read:

11. Result of disapproval at January 2008 referendum. A school administrative unit that rejects a proposed reorganization plan at the January 15, 2008 referendum or at a subsequent referendum on or before January 30, 2009 may restart the process to form a regional school unit with the same or other school administrative units and may seek assistance from the Department of Education to prepare another reorganization plan.

A. Subsequent reorganization plans must meet the same requirements as for reorganization plans filed prior to the January 2008 referendum, except that the timelines are adjusted to reflect a July 1, 2009 reorganization date.
B. The penalties set forth in Title 20-A, section 15696 apply to any school administrative unit that fails to approve a reorganization plan on or before January 30, 2009 and to implement that plan by July 1, 2009.

Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.

summary

This amendment amends the laws governing school administrative unit reorganization to eliminate the penalties set forth for nonconforming school administrative units.

This amendment strikes from Committee Amendment "A" those sections that establish a Penalty Reserve fund and that delay implementation of the penalties for certain nonconforming school administrative units.

FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)


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