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Amend the amendment by striking out all of the first indented paragraph after the title (page 1, line 12 in amendment) and inserting the following:
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Amend the bill by striking out all of sections 1 and 2 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§9, as repealed and replaced by PL 2011, c. 678, Pt. J, §1, is amended to read:
 
9. Required vote.   Before the municipality may withdraw from the regional school unit, the withdrawal agreement must be approved by a majority vote of those casting valid votes in the municipality, and the total number of votes cast for and against withdrawal at the municipal vote must equal or exceed 50% of the total number of votes cast in the municipality for Governor at the last gubernatorial election.
 
This subsection is repealed January 1, 2015July 1, 2014.
Amend the amendment by inserting after section 3 the following:
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Amend the bill by inserting after section 4 the following:
‘Sec. 5.  20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§9-C  is enacted to read:
 
9-C.  Required vote.     Beginning July 1, 2014, before the municipality may withdraw from the regional school unit, the withdrawal agreement must be approved by a majority vote of those casting valid votes in the municipality.
Amend the amendment by striking out all of section 6 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 6. 20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§13, as amended by PL 2013, c. 167, Pt. A, §2, is further amended to read:
 
13. Determination of results; execution of agreement.   Except for a school administrative district that was reformulated as a regional school unit pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX, section 36, subsection 12, if the commissioner finds that a majority of the voters voting on the article has voted in the affirmative and the total number of votes cast for and against the article equal or exceed 50% of the total number of votes cast in the municipality for Governor at the last gubernatorial election, the commissioner shall notify the municipal officers and the regional school unit board to take steps for the withdrawal in accordance with the terms of the agreement for withdrawal. For a municipality that is part of a school administrative district that was reformulated as a regional school unit pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX, section 36, subsection 12, if the commissioner finds that at least 2/3 of the votes validly cast in the municipality are in the affirmative, the commissioner shall notify the municipal officers and the regional school unit board to take steps for the withdrawal in accordance with the terms of the agreement for withdrawal.
 
This subsection is repealed January 1, 2015July 1, 2014.’
Amend the amendment by striking out all of section 8 and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 8.  20-A MRSA §1466, sub-§13-B  is enacted to read:
 
13-B.  Determination of results; execution of agreement.     Beginning July 1, 2014, except for a school administrative district that was reformulated as a regional school unit pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX, section 36, subsection 12, if the commissioner finds that a majority of the voters voting on the article has voted in the affirmative, the commissioner shall notify the municipal officers and the regional school unit board to take steps for the withdrawal in accordance with the terms of the agreement for withdrawal. For a municipality that is part of a school administrative district that was reformulated as a regional school unit pursuant to Public Law 2007, chapter 240, Part XXXX, section 36, subsection 12, if the commissioner finds that at least 2/3 of the votes validly cast in the municipality are in the affirmative, the commissioner shall notify the municipal officers and the regional school unit board to take steps for the withdrawal in accordance with the terms of the agreement for withdrawal.
Sec. 9. Administrative costs. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, if a municipality that is a member of a regional school unit withdraws from that regional school unit pursuant to the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 20-A, section 1466, subsection 9, any increase in administrative costs incurred by that municipality as a result of that withdrawal must be borne by that municipality.
Sec. 10. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
 
EDUCATION, DEPARTMENT OF
 
School Finance and Operations Z078
 
Initiative: Provides funds for one Education Specialist III position and related All Other costs to support the anticipated increase in workload associated with the withdrawal process of individual municipalities from regional school units.

GENERAL FUND	2013-14	2014-15	
POSITIONS - LEGISLATIVE COUNT	0.000	1.000	
Personal Services	$0	$87,414	
All Other	$0	$4,316	
			
GENERAL FUND TOTAL	$0	$91,730	
 
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Amend the amendment by relettering or renumbering any nonconsecutive Part letter or section number to read consecutively.
 
SUMMARY
This amendment incorporates the substance of House Amendment "A" to Committee Amendment "A" (H-561). In addition, this amendment retains until July 1, 2014, the existing law governing the number of votes required to withdraw from a regional school unit. This amendment provides that beginning July 1, 2014 a municipality may withdraw from a regional school unit by majority vote and eliminates the requirement regarding the total number of votes cast. This amendment also replaces the appropriations and allocations section in Committee Amendment "A."
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)