Sec. 7. 20-A MRSA §15677, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 504, Pt. A, §6, is amended to read:

2. Determination of matrix. The salary matrix must be determined in accordance with the following.

A. For fiscal year 2005-06, the commissioner, using information provided by a statewide education policy research institute, shall establish the salary matrix based on the most recently available relevant data and appropriate trends in the Consumer Price Index or other comparable index. Once the salary matrix relationships for years of staff experience and levels of staff education have been determined, the salary matrix amounts for 2005-2006 must be calculated from a base salary amount of not less than $30,000.

B. For fiscal year 2006-07 and each subsequent year, the commissioner shall update the previous year's salary matrix to reflect appropriate trends in the Consumer Price Index or other comparable index. The salary matrix amounts for each year must be calculated from a base salary amount that is not less than the minimum teachers' salary for the year that is prescribed by section 13406.

Sec. 8. 20-A MRSA §15678, sub-§6 is enacted to read:

6.__Determination of salaries and benefits for school level teaching staff.__When a teacher bargaining agent exists, the teacher bargaining agent and school administrative unit shall, in accordance with the collective bargaining procedures set forth in Title 26, chapter 9-A, negotiate to determine by mutual agreement the salaries and benefits to be provided to teachers in the school administrative unit.__The amount expended for salaries and benefits for school level teaching staff in a school