Sec. YY-1. 13 MRSA §3167-A is enacted to read:
§3167-A. Expenditure of ministerial funds
A municipality may expend funds held in its ministerial trust for school construction or renovation if the expenditure is approved by the voters of the municipality at an election.
Sec. YY-2. 20-A MRSA §15607, sub-§3, as repealed and replaced by PL 1999, c. 401, Pt. GG, §3, is amended to read:
3. Appropriation for the state share of adjustments, debt service and foundation; single account. Appropriate the necessary funds for the State's share for general purpose aid for local schools with a separate amount for each of the following components:
A. Adjustments described in section 15602, subsection 13; section 15612; and section 15613, except section 15613, subsection 13, including an appropriation for special education pupils placed directly by the State for:
(1) Tuition and board for pupils placed directly by the State in accordance with rules adopted or amended by the commissioner; and
(2) Special educational tuition and other tuition for residents of state-operated institutions attending programs in school administrative units or private schools in accordance with rules adopted or amended by the commissioner;
B. Debt service subsidies described in section 15611. If the appropriation for debt service differs from the amount determined in accordance with section 15611, subsection 2, then the debt service millage limit specified in section 15611, subsection 1 may be adjusted up or down as necessary; and
C. Foundation subsidies described in section 15610 and section 15613, subsection 13 and in chapter 606-A.
Sec. YY-3. 20-A MRSA §15905, sub-§1, ¶A, as repealed and replaced by PL 1997, c. 469, §2, is amended to read:
A. The state board may approve projects as long as no project approval will cause debt service costs, as defined in section 15603, subsection 8, paragraph A, to exceed the maximum limits specified in Table 1 in subsequent fiscal years.
Fiscal year |
Maximum Debt Service Limit |
1990 |
$ 48,000,000 |
1991 |
$ 57,000,000 |
1992 |
$ 65,000,000 |
1993 |
$ 67,000,000 |
1994 |
$ 67,000,000 |
1995 |
$ 67,000,000 |
1996 |
$ 67,000,000 |
1997 |
$ 67,000,000 |
1998 |
$ 67,000,000 |
1999 |
$ 69,000,000 |
2000 |
$ 72,000,000 |
2001 |
$ 74,000,000 |
2002 |
$ 74,000,000 |
2003 |
$ 80,000,000 |
2004 |
$ 80,000,000 |
2005 |
$ 84,000,000 |
Sec. YY-4. 20-A MRSA §15905, sub-§1, ¶A-1, as repealed and replaced by PL 1987, c. 803, §§2 and 5, is amended to read:
A-1. Beginning with the second regular session of the Legislature in fiscal year 1990 and every other year thereafter, on or before March 1st, the commissioner shall recommend to the Legislature and the Legislature shall establish maximum debt service limits for the next biennium 2 biennia for which debt service limits have not been set.
Sec. YY-5. State Board of Education study of "debt service circuit breaker." The State Board of Education shall study the so-called "debt service circuit breaker" and report back to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over education matters by December 14, 2001 with findings and policy recommendations regarding the most equitable manner to calculate the debt service circuit breaker. In studying this matter, the State Board of Education shall address the following issues:
1. Whether the current millage limit established for the debt service circuit breaker is a reasonable limit;
2. Whether a school administrative unit that is involved with more than one school construction project may have additional school construction projects considered as part of the calculation of the local school administrative unit's debt service for the purpose of the debt service circuit breaker; and
3. Whether a school administrative unit that is involved in a locally financed school construction project may have the locally financed school construction project and any additional school construction projects that are financed with state support considered as part of the calculation of the local school administrative unit's debt service for the purpose of the debt service circuit breaker.
Sec. YY-6. Creation of plan. The State Board of Education and the Department of Education shall adopt rules to create a plan to address the needs beyond Project #22 on the major capital improvement priority list and include in the plan a review of rules related to protected status of projects in the 2-year cycle. The plan must include immediate and ongoing community outreach and forums in the affected school administrative units to build support for and confidence in the proposed changes. Rules adopted pursuant to this section are major substantive rules as defined in the Maine Revised Statues, Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A.
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