PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Limit the Scope of Miscellaneous Costs within the General Purpose Aid for Local Schools Appropriation
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §15689-C, sub-§1,  as enacted by PL 2005, c. 2, Pt. D, §61 and affected by §§72 and 74 and c. 12, Pt. WW, §18, is amended to read:
 
1. Annual recommendation. Prior to December 15th of each year, the commissioner, with the approval of the state board, shall recommend to the Governor and the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of the Budget the funding levels that the commissioner recommends for the purposes of this chapter. Beginning with the recommendations due in 2009, the commissioner’s annual recommendations must be in the form and manner described in subsection 4.
Sec. 2.  20-A MRSA §15689-C, sub-§4  is enacted to read:
 
4.  Guidelines for updating adjustments and miscellaneous costs.   The commissioner's recommendations regarding the adjustments and miscellaneous costs components as set forth in subsection 2 also must delineate each amount that is recommended for each subsection and paragraph under sections 15689 and 15689-A and the purposes for each cost in these sections. For each amount shown in the commissioner's recommendations, the commissioner's recommendation must also show the amount for the same component or purpose that is included in the most recently approved state budget, the differences between the amounts in the most recently approved state budget and the commissioner's recommendations and the reasons for the changes.
Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §15689-D, as amended by PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. C, §7, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
§ 15689-D. Governor's recommendation for funding levels
 
1.  Annual recommendations.   The Department of Administrative and Financial Services, Bureau of the Budget shall annually certify to the Legislature the funding levels that the Governor recommends under sections 15683, 15683-A, 15689 and 15689-A. The Governor’s recommendations must be transmitted to the Legislature within the time schedules set forth in Title 5, section 1666 and in the form and manner described in subsection 2. The commissioner may adjust, consistent with the Governor’s recommendation for funding levels, per-pupil amounts not related to staffing pursuant to section 15680 and targeted funds pursuant to section 15681.
 
2.  Funding level computations.   The Governor’s recommendations under subsection 1 must specify the amounts that are recommended for the total operating allocation pursuant to section 15683, the total of other subsidizable costs pursuant to section 15681-A, the total debt service allocation pursuant to section 15683-A, the total adjustments pursuant to section 15689, the total miscellaneous costs pursuant to section 15689-A, the amount for any other components of the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12 and the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12 pursuant to this chapter. The Governor’s recommendations regarding the adjustments and miscellaneous costs components also must delineate each amount that is recommended for each subsection and paragraph under sections 15689 and 15689-A and the purposes for each cost in these sections. For each amount shown in the Governor’s recommendations, the Governor’s recommendations must also show the amount for the same component or purpose that is included in the most recently approved state budget, the differences between the amounts in the most recently approved state budget and the Governor’s recommendations and the reasons for the changes.
 
Effective September 12, 2009