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Amend the bill by striking out all of section 1.
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 3 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§9-A, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 678, Pt. J, §2, is amended to read:
 
9-A. Required vote; exception for a municipality of a school administrative district that was reformulated as a regional school unit.   A 2/3 vote of those casting valid votes in the municipality is required before a municipality that is a member municipality of a school administrative district that was reformulated as a regional school unit pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX, section 36, subsection 12 may withdraw from the regional school unit.
 
This subsection is repealed January 1, 2015.’
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 6 and inserting in its place the following:
‘Sec. 6. 20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§13, as amended by PL 2013, c. 167, Pt. A, §2, is further amended to read:
 
13. Determination of results; execution of agreement.   Except for a school administrative district that was reformulated as a regional school unit pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX, section 36, subsection 12, if the commissioner finds that a majority of the voters voting on the article has voted in the affirmative and the total number of votes cast for and against the article equal or exceed 50% of the total number of votes cast in the municipality for Governor at the last gubernatorial election, the commissioner shall notify the municipal officers and the regional school unit board to take steps for the withdrawal in accordance with the terms of the agreement for withdrawal. For a municipality that is part of a school administrative district that was reformulated as a regional school unit pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX, section 36, subsection 12, if the commissioner finds that at least 2/3 of the votes validly cast in the municipality are in the affirmative, the commissioner shall notify the municipal officers and the regional school unit board to take steps for the withdrawal in accordance with the terms of the agreement for withdrawal.
 
This subsection is repealed January 1, 2015.’
Amend the bill by adding after section 7 the following:
‘Sec. 8. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
 
General Purpose Aid for Local Schools 0308
 
Initiative: Provides funds for the State's share of the increased cost of K-12 public education as a result of municipalities withdrawing from regional school units.

GENERAL FUND	2013-14	2014-15	
All Other	$0	$643,500	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$643,500	

School Finance and Operations Z078
 
Initiative: Provides funds for one Education Specialist II position and one Education Specialist III position and related all other costs through June 30, 2016 to support the anticipated increase in workload associated with the withdrawal process of individual municipalities from regional school units.

GENERAL FUND	2013-14	2014-15	
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT	2.000	2.000	
Personal Services	$174,087	$178,910	
All Other	$4,316	$4,016	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$178,403	$182,926	

EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF			
DEPARTMENT TOTALS	2013-14	2014-15	
			
GENERAL FUND	$178,403	$826,426	
			
DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS	$178,403	$826,426	
 
’
Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
This amendment, which is the majority report of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, strikes the provision in the bill that requires that a facilitator to oversee negotiations must be appointed if, after 90 days of its formation, the withdrawal committee that is selected by the municipality seeking to withdraw from the regional school unit fails to reach an agreement with the regional school unit. The amendment also updates a section of law that was amended in Public Law 2013, chapter 167, Part A, section 2 to avoid a conflict. The amendment also adds an appropriations and allocations section.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)