121st Maine Legislature
		Office of Fiscal and Program Review
		LD 1944
		An Act to Authorize Educational Technicians II in Winslow, China and Vassalboro
		LR 2857(01)
		Fiscal Note for Original Bill
		Sponsor: Sen. Gagnon
		Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
		Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Potential current biennium cost increase - General Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill extends the time in which a school unit may request an upgrade for educational technicians who were eligible for reclassification under the provisions of Private and Special Law 1995, chapter 35.  For the requests that are currently under review by the Department of Education associated with the educational technicians in School Union 52, there will be no fiscal impact to the school union or the Department of Education if the upgrades are approved because these people are already compensated at the higher level and are currently participating in the Maine State Retirement System Teacher plan.  If any upgrades are not approved, the effects on retirement costs, School Union 52 and the individual educational technicians are unclear.
	Since this bill is not limited to just School Union 52, there may be additional cases that are not currently identified where an educational technician is eligible for reclassification.  If requests for upgrades are approved for employees who have not been compensated at the higher level there may be costs to the local school units.  There may also be additional costs to the State in the form of employer retirement contributions if the employee has not been participating in the Teacher plan.  Given the retroactive provision included in this bill, an unfunded liability may be created.