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Amend the bill in section 1 in paragraph D in the 7th to 10th lines (page 1, lines 10 to 13 in L.D.) by striking out the following: "a special meeting of the voters authorized by a majority vote of the governing body of the alternative organizational structure. The article to be voted uponon at the special meeting" and inserting the following: 'the next regular election or at a special referendum election of the voters called for that purpose by a majority vote of the governing body of the alternative organizational structure. The article to be voted uponon at the next regular or special election'
Amend the bill in section 1 in paragraph D by inserting after the last blocked paragraph the following:
 
‘A referendum authorized by this section must be called and conducted in accordance with the procedures for calling and conducting a referendum in a regional school unit under section 1502, but not including subsection 2, and section 1503, except that the duties of the board of directors of the regional school unit must be performed by the governing body of the alternative organizational structure.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment makes changes to the provisions in the bill that apply to the school budget approval process for alternative organizational structures. Current law requires that a change in who approves a budget must be approved at the next statewide election. The bill requires that such a determination of who approves a budget must be approved at a special meeting authorized by a majority of the governing body of the alternative organizational structure rather than at the next statewide election. The amendment provides that the determination of the school budget approval process must be approved at the next regular election or special election of all of the member entities of the alternative organizational structure. The amendment also provides that a referendum authorized for this purpose must be called and conducted by the governing body of the alternative organizational structure in accordance with the procedures for calling and conducting a referendum in a regional school unit as set forth in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, under section 1502, but not including subsection 2, and section 1503.