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An Act Regarding the Use of Unanticipated State Aid for Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §1485, sub-§5, as enacted by PL 2015, c. 463, §1, is amended to read:
 
5. Additional state subsidy.   The warrant presented to the legislative body of the regional school unit at a regional school unit budget meeting maymust include an article or articles providing that, in the event that the regional school unit receives more state education subsidy than the amount included in its budget, the regional school unit board is authorized to use all or part of the additional subsidy to:
 
A. Increase expenditures for school purposes in cost center categories approved by the regional school unit board. If that article is approved by the voters at the budget meeting, the regional school unit board may increase expenditures for school purposes in cost center categories approved by the regional school unit board as provided in the article, without holding a special budget meeting and budget validation referendum;
 
B. Increase the allocation of finances in a reserve fund. If that article is approved by the voters at the budget meeting, the regional school unit board may increase the allocation of finances for a reserve fund approved by the regional school unit board as provided in the article, without holding a special budget meeting and budget validation referendum; or
 
C. Decrease the local cost share expectation, as defined in section 15671-A, subsection 1, paragraph B, for local property taxpayers for funding public education. If that article is approved by the voters at the budget meeting, the regional school unit board may decrease the local cost share expectation for local property taxpayers approved by the regional school unit board as provided in the article, without holding a special budget meeting and budget validation referendum. If as a result of the additional subsidy a school administrative unit board does not raise 100% of the required local contribution pursuant to section 15690, section 1, the commissioner shall waive the required proration of the state share pursuant to section 15690, subsection 1, paragraph C.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires the warrant presented to the legislative body of the regional school unit to include an article describing how unanticipated school aid will be used. In cases where the adjustment prevents the regional school unit board from raising 100% of the required local share, the Commissioner of Education must waive the required proration of the state share.