For immediate release

February 8, 2008

PRESS RELEASE

Contact:  Phil McCarthy

David Desjardins

287-3125

  

Legislative’s Education Committee To Hold Public Hearings

on School District Reorganization Bills

 

             The Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs will hold public hearings on two “committee bills” that seek to improve and clarify the laws governing school district reorganization on Wednesday, February 13, 2008 beginning at 1:00 p.m. in Room #202 of the Cross State Office Building.

             Legislation enacted during the 2007 legislative session directed the Commissioner of Education to report to the Education Committee on the status of implementing the school district reorganization law and also directed that the Commissioner present recommendations to the Education on any legislation necessary to fully implement school district reorganization law.

            The Legislative Council also directed the Education Committee to hear from the sponsors of 63 “legislative requests” that sought to address issues related to school district reorganization.  The Education Committee has been considering these “legislative requests”, as well as other proposals, since early January and have folded a number of these recommendations into the two “committee bills” that will be heard on February 13th.  The two “committee bills” scheduled to be heard are:

 

· LR #: 3490, An Act To Clarify and Improve the Laws Governing the Formation of Regional School Units

· LR #: 3491, An Act To Fully Implement the School Administrative Unit Reorganization Law

 

The full text of these proposed “committee bills” will be available at the Maine Legislature's website this weekend and can be found at:  http://janus.state.me.us/legis/.

 

Following the public hearings, the Education Committee will conduct work sessions on these bills and report them out for consideration by the House and Senate later this month. 

 

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Please feel free to contact the Committee with any questions and enjoy your weekend.

 

David Desjardins

Committee Clerk

Education and Cultural Affairs

Cross State Office Building Room 202

(207) 287-3125