LD 2281: An Act To Amend the Laws Governing the Reorganization of School Administrative Units

[Education Committee bill]

Summary

This bill is introduced by the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX, section 47. The bill makes the following changes to the laws governing the formation of regional school units.

1. It provides an exemption for those regional school units in which the regional school unit board has approved a budget that proposes to spend less than 5% above the level of funding outlined in the essential programs and services funding model from the budget validation referendum process until the regional school unit board proposes a budget that meets or exceeds that funding level.

2. It provides an exemption for municipal school units from the budget validation referendum vote in cases in which the municipal charter defines roles and a process for developing and approving the school budget.

3. It provides an exemption for those municipal school units in which the school committee has approved a budget that proposes to spend less than 5% above the level of funding outlined in the essential programs and services funding model from the budget validation referendum process until the school committee proposes a budget that meets or exceeds that funding level.

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Fiscal Note

No State fiscal impact

Fiscal Detail and Notes                                                           

            Providing an exemption from the budget validation referendum process to those regional school units and municipal school units whose proposed budget does not propose to raise more than 5% of the maximum state and local spending target may result in savings to those units as a result of not having to hold the referendum.  However, allowing the exemption from the budget validation referendum process may also result in the local cost of K-12 public education being higher in these regional school units and municipal school units than it would have been had the exemption not been in place.  The impact to the individual school units can not be determined at this time.