126th MAINE LEGISLATURE
		LD 1850		LR 2782(03)
	Resolve, To Establish the Commission To Strengthen the Adequacy and Equity of Certain Cost Components of the School Funding Formula
	Fiscal Note for Senate Amendment " " to Original Bill
	Sponsor: Sen. Langley of Hancock
	Fiscal Note Required: Yes
Fiscal Note
Removes Legislative Cost/Study
			FY 2013-14	FY 2014-15	Projections  FY 2015-16	Projections  FY 2016-17
Net Cost (Savings)
	General Fund		$0	($10,000)	$0	$0
Appropriations/Allocations
	General Fund		$0	($10,000)	$0	$0
Legislative Cost/Study
	This amendment removes the study commission from the bill and eliminates the impact on the Legislature.
Fiscal Detail and Notes
	This amendment eliminates the one-time General Fund appropriation of $10,000 in fiscal year 2014-15 to the General Purpose Aid for Local Schools program within the Department of Education for the costs associated with contracting with a staffing agency to provide assistance to the commission.
	Current law requires the Department of Education to contract with a statewide education research institute for the 1) updating of the essential programs and services components (Title 20-A, §15689-A, sub-§3) and 2) the compilation and analysis of education data (Title 20-A, §15689-A, sub-§6).  For fiscal year 2014-15,  $250,000 is currently budgeted within the General Purpose Aid for Local Schools General Fund program account for each of these contracts, for a total of $500,000.  As amended, this legislation requires that, for fiscal year 2014-15 only, the Department of Education not contract with a statewide education research institute for the purposes established in current law, but instead allows these funds to be utilized to support the costs of the study.
	Pursuant to Public Law 2013, Chapter 368, Part F, the Governor's Office of Policy and Management identified potential savings for fiscal year 2014-15 and submitted its recommendations to the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs on October 2, 2013.  The report included a recommendation to eliminate the $500,000 in funding for both of the contracts listed in the paragraph above. Part F authorizes the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs to submit legislation related to the report to the Second Regular Session of the 126th Legislature. Whether this recommendation will be included in legislation that may be reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs can not be determined at this time.  If the recommendation is included and the legislation is approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor, this funding will not be available to support the work of the department and the institute.  Unless an alternative funding source is identified or a General Fund appropriation is provided, the Department of Education and the Education Research Institute may not be able to complete all of the requirements of this legislation.