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Amend the bill in section 1 in chapter 227 by striking out all of §6953 (page 2, lines 19 to 28 in L.D.)
Amend the bill in section 1 in chapter 227 in §6955 in the 2nd line (page 2, line 35 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "routine technical" and inserting the following: 'major substantive'
Amend the bill in section 1 in chapter 227 by renumbering the sections to read consecutively.
Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 2 and 3 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 2. Nonprofit corporation; timeline. The Department of Education shall arrange with the Good Will-Hinckley school to serve as the nonprofit charitable corporation with a public purpose to implement the Center of Excellence for At-risk Students, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 6951, referred to in this Act as "the center." The Commissioner of Education and the Chief Executive Officer of the Good Will-Hinckley school shall jointly develop a plan for funding and delivering an approved program pursuant to Title 20-A, section 6951, subsection 3 and section 6952, including a timeline for commencing operation of the center. The Commissioner of Education may convene an advisory group to include representatives of school boards, superintendents, alternative educators and students to participate in developing the plan. The goal of the plan is to begin providing services by September 1, 2010. The Commissioner of Education may modify the plan in consultation with the Chief Executive Officer of the Good Will-Hinckley school.
Sec. 3. Funding proposal. Taking into consideration the plan developed pursuant to section 2 for implementing the center, the Commissioner of Education shall develop a proposal for funding the center. The funding proposal must take into account the unique needs of at-risk students and the resources required to meet those needs, as well as the availability, restrictions and limitations of private and other sources of funds. On or before November 1, 2009, the Commissioner of Education shall report to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs on a recommended plan for funding the center and a recommended timeline for commencing the center’s operations, providing access to the center for students from school administrative units throughout the State and the number of students that the center is able to serve. Following receipt and consideration of the Commissioner of Education’s report, the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs may submit to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature any legislation that may be necessary to accomplish the funding plan and the implementation timeline for the center.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment strikes the language in the bill regarding funding and the timeline for implementing the establishment of the Center of Excellence for At-risk Students and inserts provisions directing the Commissioner of Education and the Chief Executive Officer of the Good Will-Hinckley school to jointly develop a plan for funding and a timeline for establishing an approved program for the center. The funding plan and proposed timeline for establishing the center must be transmitted to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs, which may introduce any necessary legislation to the Second Regular Session of the 124th Legislature to accomplish these plans. The amendment also provides that rules established for the center are major substantive rules.