Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §15607, sub-§2, as repealed and replaced by PL 1999, c. 401, Pt. GG, §3, is amended to read:

2. Subsidy indices. Establish an operating cost millage, a program millage limit and a debt service millage limit; and

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §15607, sub-§3, śC, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 401, Pt. GG, §3, is amended to read:

C. Foundation subsidies described in section 15610 and section 15613, subsection 13 and in chapter 606-A.; and

Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §15607, sub-§3-A is enacted to read:

3-A.__Education; tuition subsidy.__If the commissioner determines that a school district is experiencing high growth in student enrollment or is facing a crisis of overcrowding, appropriate necessary funds to allow that school district to pay the parent's or guardian's cost of tuition for an appropriate number of those students at another public, private or religious school to alleviate that overcrowding.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Legislature to annually appropriate funds to a school district that is experiencing high growth in student enrollment or that is facing a crisis of overcrowding, as determined by the Commissioner of Education, to allow an appropriate number of those students to attend another public, private or religious school to alleviate that overcrowding.