129th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 247		LR 653(03)
	An Act To Increase the Amount of Time School Counselors and Social Workers Spend Providing Students Direct and Indirect Counseling
	Fiscal Note for Bill as Engrossed with: C "A" (S-29)
	Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Fiscal Note
Minor cost increase - General Fund
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This legislation requires school counselors and school social workers to spend at least 80% of their time providing direct or indirect services to students but does not address how the time spent providing these services will be tracked.  This fiscal note assumes that the process will be informal and will not require extensive recordkeeping and reporting.  However, if the major substantive rules adopted by the department and submitted to the Legislature for review include a formal time recording and reporting process, the fiscal impact to local school administrative units for the additional requirement will need to be addressed.
	Additional costs to the Department of Education associated with the rulemaking process can be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.