An Act To Provide Additional Time to Certain School Administrative Units To Comply with School Administrative Unit Reorganization Laws

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 deadline for reorganization is approaching; and

Whereas,  if a school administrative unit does not reorganize, penalties will be imposed against the school administrative unit; and

Whereas,  this legislation will give school administrative units additional time to reorganize; 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,

Sec. 1. PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §36, sub-§11, as amended by PL 2007, c. 668, §47,  is further amended to read:

11. Result of disapproval at January 2008 referendum or subsequent referendum on or before January 30, 2009. A school administrative unit that rejects a proposed reorganization plan at the January 15, 2008 referendum or at a subsequent referendum on or before January 30, 2009 may restart the process to form a regional school unit with the same or other school administrative units and may seek assistance from the Department of Education to prepare another reorganization plan.

Sec. 2. PL 2007, c. 240, Pt. XXXX, §36, sub-§11-A  is enacted to read:

11-A. Result for school administrative unit that approves plan at referendum on or before January 30, 2009 but is unable to implement plan. A school administrative unit that approves a proposed reorganization plan at the January 15, 2008 referendum or at a subsequent referendum on or before January 30, 2009 but is unable to implement the plan because the plan was rejected at referendum by one or more of its proposed partner school administrative units under the plan may restart the process to form a regional school unit with the same or other school administrative units and may seek assistance from the Department of Education to prepare another reorganization plan.

Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.

summary

This bill provides additional time for a school administrative unit to comply with the reorganization law if it approved a reorganization plan at a referendum prior to January 30, 2009 but is unable to implement the plan because the plan was rejected by one or more of its proposed partners. The school administrative unit would be allowed to restart the process to form a regional school unit with the same or other school administrative units.