An Act To Exempt School Administrative District 12, School Union 37 and School Union 60 from the Laws Requiring School Administration Consolidation

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 Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, chapter 103-A requires the reorganization of school administrative units into regional state-approved units of administration; and

Whereas,  the requirement for a minimum number of students is impractical for School Administrative District 12, School Union 37 and School Union 60 due to geographic isolation; 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. Exemption from school regionalization requirements. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, chapter 103-A and Public Law 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX as amended by Public Law 2007, chapter 668, School Administrative District 12, serving the towns of Jackman and Moose River; School Union 37, serving the Town of Rangeley, Dallas Plantation, Lincoln Plantation, Magalloway Plantation, Rangeley Plantation and Sandy River Plantation; and School Union 60, serving the towns of Greenville, Shirley, Beaver Cove and Willimantic and Kingsbury Plantation are not required to join other towns to form a regional school unit with a student population exceeding 1,200.

In administering the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, chapter 103-A and for the purposes of implementing Public Law 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX, section 36 as amended by Public Law 2007, chapter 668, the Commissioner of Education shall consider the towns of Jackman and Moose River together, the towns and plantations comprising Union 37 together and the towns and plantations comprising Union 60 together to be geographically isolated and provide to those towns exemptions from and accommodations to Title 20-A, chapter 103-A similar to those provided coastal islands.

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

summary

This bill exempts the towns of Jackman and Moose River, Union 60 and Union 37 from minimum student enrollments established in statute for regional school units. The Commissioner of Education is required to treat the towns in a manner similar to the treatment of coastal islands.