128th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1736		LR 2746(06)
	An Act To Broaden Educational Opportunities to Members of the Maine National Guard and Provide Financial Assistance to Veterans
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Engrossed with: C "A" (S-445) H "B" (H-748) to C "A" (S-445) H "A" (H-743) to C "A" (S-445)
	Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Fiscal Note
			FY 2017-18	FY 2018-19	Projections  FY 2019-20	Projections  FY 2020-21
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$0	$400,000	$400,000	$400,000
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund		$0	$400,000	$400,000	$400,000
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	The bill expands the Maine National Guard Tuition Assistance Program to add private nonprofit postsecondary education institutions and the Maine Criminal Justice Academy to the list of state postsecondary education institutions where Maine National Guard members may receive a tuition benefit under the program.  To the extent that there are sufficient funds available in the Maine National Guard Postsecondary Fund to pay the tuition costs for all Maine National Guard members who want to participate in the program, there is no fiscal impact to the Maine Criminal Justice Academy or the public and private postsecondary institutions.  However, if expanding the program results in tuition costs exceeding available funding, there would be an impact to the Maine Criminal Justice Academy and the public and private postsecondary institutions in the form of lost tuition revenue.
	The bill includes ongoing General Fund appropriations of $250,000 per year beginning in fiscal year 2018-19 to the newly established Veterans Temporary Assistance Fund within the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management to provide financial assistance to veterans.
	The bill also includes ongoing General Fund appropriations of $150,000 per year beginning in fiscal year 2018-19 to the Maine National Guard Postsecondary Fund within the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management which will be used for tuition assistance to veterans attending the Maine Criminal Justice Academy and public and private postsecondary education institutions.