131st MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1799		LR 1861(08)
	An Act to Expand Maine's High-quality Early Learning and Care for Children by Increasing Public Preschool Opportunities in Communities
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Engrossed with: C "A" (S-395) S "A" (S-493) to C "A" (S-395) H "A" (H-726) to C "A" (S-395)
	Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Fiscal Note
Legislative Cost/Study
Legislative Cost/Study
	The general operating expenses of this study are projected to be $3,050 in fiscal year 2023-24. The Legislature’s proposed budget for the 2024-2025 biennium includes $14,500 in each of fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25 for the costs of legislative studies, as well as $2,234 in projected balances from fiscal year 2022-23 and $36,777 of balances carried over from prior years for this purpose. Whether these amounts are sufficient to fund all studies will depend on the number of studies authorized by the Legislative Council and the Legislature. The additional costs of providing staffing assistance to the study during the interim can be absorbed utilizing existing budgeted staff resources.
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	Additional costs to the Department of Education associated with 1) developing a plan to align the credentials and training earned through the Maine Roads to Quality Professional Development Network with those earned through the department's Early Childhood Education certification and 2) preparing the required annual report on the department's initiatives, incentives and progress to expand public preschool programs can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.
	Additional costs to the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education associated with having a representative serve on the commission can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.