123rd MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 2043 LR 2870(01)
An Act To Protect Student Athletes
Fiscal Note for Original Bill
Sponsor: Rep. Simpson of Auburn
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Fiscal Note
State Mandate - Unfunded
State Mandates
Required Activity Unit Affected Costs
The requirement that school administrative units:  1) assure the provision of the required safety training to certain students and school personnel;  2)  hold the required drill;  3) make available proof of compliance for each person required to receive the safety training;  4)  maintain and display telephone numbers and email addresses to allow persons to report a violation, and 5)  provide a notice to students and parents of students participating in extracurricular athletic activity of the safety precautions required, the compliance enforcement and the contact information is a state mandate pursuant to the Constitution of Maine.  The cost to individual school administrative units can not be determined at this time. School Significant
Fiscal Detail and Notes
The Department of Education estimates the total cost of developing and delivering the safety training program to be between $180,000 and $230,000 in fiscal year 2008-09.  Of this amount, approximately $100,000 to $150,000 is anticipated to be a one-time cost for the Department of develop and distribute the required training materials to school administrative units.  The Department will also require an ongoing General Fund appropriation of approximately $81,500 in fiscal year 2008-09 for one Educational Specialist II position and one Office Associate II position to implement and administer the program.
This legislation provides that the safety training program may be conducted by a school or an appropriate entity.  The total cost can not be determined at this time and will depend on how the training is delivered and the number of school personnel required to take the training.  For example, if an appropriate entity were to deliver the training online, the cost could range between $148,700 and $297,500, assuming a per person cost of between $50 and $100 and approximately 2,975 athletic directors, coaches and athletic trainers being required to take the training.  This estimate assumes that this requirement pertains to only secondary school personnel.  If the requirement also includes elementary school personnel, the cost would be greater.  It is unclear as to whether the school administrative unit or the individual would be responsible for the cost of the training.