An Act Regarding School Budgets

Emergency preamble. Whereas,  acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and

Whereas,  additional state funding may become available to a school administrative unit for fiscal year 2013-14 after the unit's budget for the fiscal year has been approved; and

Whereas,  it is necessary to permit school boards to make spending decisions on additional funding before the school year begins without the need for an additional budget validation referendum; 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,

Sec. 1. School budget authority; fiscal year 2013-14. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if additional state funding becomes available to a school administrative unit for fiscal year 2013-14 after the budget for the school administrative unit for that fiscal year has been approved by a budget validation referendum pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 1486 or 2307, the school board of the school administrative unit may decide how to spend the additional funding by majority vote at a public meeting without the need to submit the decision to an additional budget validation referendum.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.

summary

This bill permits a school board of a school administrative unit that requires a budget validation referendum to approve a budget to spend state funds that become available for fiscal year 2013-14 after the budget for the school administrative unit has been approved by the budget validation referendum without the need to submit the decision to an additional referendum.