Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §10902, sub-§18, as amended by PL 1997, c. 530, Pt. A, §34, is further amended to read:

18. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients. To develop programs with the goal of enabling recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families to achieve educational and skill levels that will assist them to compete for employment; and

Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §10902, sub-§19, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 407, §4, is amended to read:

19. Public school restructuring. To encourage the public and private postsecondary education institutions in the State to cooperate with the commissioner, the state board and school administrative units to provide appropriate and timely professional development programs and other support services to educators in public schools engaged in school restructuring efforts. ; and

Sec. 3. 20-A MRSA §10902, sub-§20 is enacted to read:

20.__Efficient facilities use.__To ensure the most efficient use possible of the financial resources allocated to public higher education by requiring that any higher education institution within the university that seeks to sell or dispose of property, including its rights or interests in lands, buildings, structures, equipment and facilities, shall first offer such property to another higher education institution within the university before attempting to sell or dispose of the property to any person or entity outside of the university.__The transfer of rights or interests in any such property must be approved by the trustees and may be made solely in consideration of the agreement by the receiving higher education institution to assume all financial responsibility necessary to maintain such property.

SUMMARY

This bill establishes the requirement that any higher education institution within the University of Maine System that seeks to sell or dispose of any real property should first attempt to transfer its rights or interests in such property to another institution within the University of Maine System. Under this bill, any higher education institution within the University of Maine System may acquire such property by agreeing to assume