Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §2706 is enacted to read:

§2706.__Employment of school employees

Notwithstanding the provisions of Title 20-A, section 1001 or any other provision of law, the municipal officers may, by majority vote, elect to negotiate employment contracts with employees of a municipal school unit as defined in Title 20-A, section 1, subsection 19.__A decision by municipal officers to negotiate employment contracts with school employees does not void an existing collective bargaining agreement or other employment contract with school employees.__An agreement or contract negotiated by municipal officers with school employees may not take effect until the expiration of an existing agreement or contract.__Nothing in this section may be construed to prevent a school board from carrying out any of its other duties in managing a municipal school unit.

SUMMARY

This bill authorizes the officers of a municipality, by a majority vote, to elect to negotiate employment contracts with employees of a municipal school unit.