125th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 958		LR 1802(05)
	Resolve, To Authorize the Legislature To Contract for an Independent Review To Evaluate the Essential Programs and Services Funding Act
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Engrossed with: C "B" (H-920)
	Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Fiscal Note
Legislative Cost/Study
			FY 2011-12	FY 2012-13	Projections  FY 2013-14	Projections  FY 2014-15
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$0	$0	$0	$0
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund		$0	$0	$0	$0
Legislative Cost/Study
	The costs of the 4 authorized interim committee meetings are projected to be $6,500 in fiscal year 2012-13.  The Legislature's proposed budget includes $10,000 in fiscal year 2012-13 for legislative studies.  Whether this amount is sufficient to fund all studies will depend on the number of studies authorized by the Legislative Council and the Legislature.
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This bill includes General Fund appropriations of $150,000 in fiscal year 2011-12 and $300,000 in fiscal year 2012-13 to the Legislature and corresponding General Fund deappropriations to the General Purpose Aid for Local Schools (GPA) program within the Department of Education to provide funds to the Legislature to contract with a qualified research entity for an independent review of the Essential Programs and Services (EPS) Funding Act.  The funds being shifted from the GPA program to the Legislature are funds that are specifically allocated within GPA for the review of the cost components of EPS and for the compilation and analysis of education data and will not affect subsidy provided to local school administrative units.
	Additional costs to the Department of Education and the State Board of Education to serve on the advisory committee can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.
	The Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability can absorb within existing budgeted resources the additional costs associated with providing assistance to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs to implement a contract to conduct the independent review of the EPS Funding Act.