124th MAINE LEGISLATURE
LD 1532 LR 2404(01)
An Act To Align Education Laws with Certain Federal Laws
Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement for Original Bill
Sponsor: Sen. Diamond of Cumberland
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Fiscal Note Required: Yes
             
Preliminary Fiscal Impact Statement
Potential current biennium savings - General Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
Changing the requirement that all special education programs receive a visit from the Department of Education from at least once every 5 years to as often as necessary to comply with federal requirements may result in savings to both the General Purpose Aid for Local Schools program and the Child Development Services program.  The amount can not be determined at this time and will depend on actual experience.
Providing that a student placed by the Department of Health and Human Services under certain conditions be considered a resident of either the school administrative unit (SAU) where the student resides during placement or the SAU where the student resided prior to placement based on the best interest of the student will not impact the total cost of State and local education.  This provision, however, may affect the distribution of state subsidy to local school administrative units, with some units receiving more subsidy and some units receiving less subsidy.  The impact to individual school administrative units can not be determined at this time.
Additional costs to the Department of Health and Human Services can be absorbed by the Department utilizing existing budgeted resources.