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An Act To Amend the Laws Governing Local Share of Education Costs
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  the proportional share reduction for school administrative units not meeting their required local share of education funding is scheduled to be phased out in fiscal year 2015-16; and
Whereas,  this legislation extends the phase-out; and
Whereas,  fiscal year 2015-16 begins July 1, 2015, which is likely before the expiration of the 90-day period; and
Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §15690, sub-§1, ¶D, as repealed and replaced by PL 2013, c. 171, §1, is amended to read:
 
D. In any fiscal year in which the sum of the State's contribution toward the cost of the components of essential programs and services, exclusive of federal funds that are provided and accounted for in the cost of the components of essential programs and services, falls below the State's target of 55% of the cost of the components of essential programs and services, the commissioner shall calculate the percentage of the State's 55% share that is funded by state appropriations and, notwithstanding any other provision of this paragraph, a school administrative unit may not have the amount of its state subsidy limited or reduced under paragraph C if the school administrative unit:
 
(1) In fiscal year 2013-14, raises at least the same percentage of its required local contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12, including state-funded debt service, as the State's contribution toward its 55% share of the cost of the components of essential programs and services;
 
(2) In fiscal year 2014-15, raises the same percentage of its required local contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12, including state-funded debt service, as the State's contribution toward its 55% share of the cost of the components of essential programs and services plus 33% of the difference between that percentage and 100% of its required local contribution; and
 
(3) In fiscal year 2015-16, raises the same percentage of its required local contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12, including state-funded debt service, as the State's contribution toward its 55% share of the cost of the components of essential programs and services plus 66%49.5% of the difference between that percentage and 100% of its required local contribution.;
 
(4) In fiscal year 2016-17, raises the same percentage of its required local contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12, including state-funded debt service, as the State's contribution toward its 55% share of the cost of the components of essential programs and services plus 66% of the difference between that percentage and 100% of its required local contribution; and
 
(5) In fiscal year 2017-18, raises the same percentage of its required local contribution to the total cost of funding public education from kindergarten to grade 12, including state-funded debt service, as the State's contribution toward its 55% share of the cost of the components of essential programs and services plus 82.5% of the difference between that percentage and 100% of its required local contribution.
 
This paragraph is repealed June 30, 20162018.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
 
SUMMARY
This bill extends the remaining phase-out of the proportional share reduction for school administrative units not meeting their required local share of education funding from one more year, ending in fiscal year 2015-16, to 3 more years, ending in fiscal year 2017-18.