Amend the bill in Part A by inserting after section 1 the following:

Amend the bill in Part B in section 1 in subsection 4 in the 4th line (page 1, line 34 in L.D.) by striking out the following: " 30" and inserting the following: ' 45'

Amend the bill in Part E in section 1 in subsection 9 in the last line (page 3, line 34 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: " expense." the following: ' For the purposes of this subsection, "foreign exchange student" means a student who has been approved for a J-1 visa to participate in the Exchange Visitor Program for secondary school students pursuant to the provisions of the federal Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Program under 22 United States Code, Chapter 33 and 22 Code of Federal Regulations, Section 62.25.'

Amend the bill in Part H in section 1 in §8101-A by striking out all of subsection 3 and inserting the following:

Amend the bill by inserting after Part I the following:

Amend the bill by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.

SUMMARY

This amendment is the minority report of the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. The amendment makes the following changes to the bill.

1. It provides that the required annual audit of school administrative units must include a determination of whether the school administrative unit has complied with unexpended balances requirements established under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 15004.

2. It requires that the regional school unit budget meeting occur within 45 days after the failure of a budget validation referendum. The bill requires that the regional school unit budget meeting must occur within a 30-day time period.

3. It includes a definition of "foreign exchange student," with reference to federal laws and regulations, in the laws governing who is eligible to be counted as a resident student for state subsidy purposes.

4. It provides that a school administrative unit that did not operate a gifted and talented program in the 2011-2012 school year may apply to the Commissioner of Education for a one-year waiver if full implementation of the requirement presents an undue burden.

5. It provides that the rules amended or adopted by the Department of Education must establish the provisions applicable to the Commissioner of Education's authority to grant a one-year waiver to a school administrative unit that did not operate a gifted and talented program in the 2011-2012 school year. The rules must also address the commissioner's authority to review additional extension requests on an annual basis.

6. It amends the supermajority vote needed to close a school within a regional school unit by providing that a school may not be closed for lack of need unless closure of the school is approved by an affirmative vote of 2/3 of the elected membership or voting power of those serving on the regional school unit board of directors at the time of the vote.