An Act To Allow a Referendum Regarding School Choice within Regional School Unit No. 12

Sec. 1. Regional School Unit No. 12 school choice. On the effective date of this section, any provision of a contract or other agreement that allows students in kindergarten to grade 8 residing in the Town of Alna or the Town of Westport Island to elect to enroll in schools other than the Town of Wiscasset schools is void, except that the following persons may enroll or remain enrolled in a school other than a Town of Wiscassett school under the same terms and conditions as that contract or other agreement:

1. A student who, on the effective date of this section, has elected to enroll in a school other than a Town of Wiscassett school pursuant to the contract or agreement; and

2. A person who is alive on the effective date of this section who is a sibling of a student enrolled in a school other than a Town of Wiscassett school pursuant to the contract or agreement under the same terms or conditions.

Sec. 2. Referendum; effective date. Section 1 of this Act takes effect upon acceptance by a majority of the legal voters voting at the election provided for under this section. Section 1 of this Act may be submitted to the legal voters within Regional School Unit No. 12 at an election held prior to June 30, 2012. The election must be called, advertised and conducted according to the law relating to municipal elections, except that the registrars of voters are not required to prepare or the town clerks to post new lists of voters. The registrars of voters must be in session on the secular day next preceding the election. The town clerks shall prepare the required ballots, on which the town clerks shall reduce the subject matter of section 1 to the following question:

"Do you favor ending the choice for students in kindergarten to grade 8 residing in the Town of Alna or the Town of Westport Island to attend school in a town other than Wiscasset unless they currently do so?"

The voters shall indicate by a cross or check mark placed against the words "yes" or "no" their opinion on the question.

The results must be declared by the municipal officers of the Town of Alna, Town of Wiscasset, Town of Westport Island, Town of Palermo, Town of Somerville, Town of Whitefield, Town of Windsor and Town of Chelsea and due certificate of the results filed by the town clerks with the Secretary of State.

Section 1 of this Act takes effect immediately upon its acceptance by a majority of the legal voters voting at the election.

SUMMARY

This bill permits the voters in Regional School Unit No. 12 to vote at referendum on whether to end the choice for students in kindergarten to grade 8 residing in the Town of Alna or the Town of Westport Island to attend school in a town other than the Town of Wiscasset.