Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §3301, sub-§8 is enacted to read:

8.__Closing school.__The commissioner may not close a school in the unorganized territory except in accordance with procedures and standards established by the department by rule.__The rules must provide for a public hearing in the area served by a school prior to the date of the proposed closure of the school.__Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Department of Education to adopt major substantive rules to establish standards and practices to follow when proposing to close a school in the unorganized territory.