Maine 2023-2024 Regular Session

Maine House Bill LD386

Introduced
1/31/23  
Refer
1/31/23  
Refer
1/31/23  

Caption

An Act to Assist Schools with Heating and Transportation Fuel Costs During the School Year

Impact

By allocating $18 million from the general fund for this purpose, LD386 addresses urgent fiscal needs within the educational system, specifically targeting heating and transportation challenges. Schools will be able to apply these funds towards their budgets, thereby relieving some pressure on the state's educational financial landscape. Importantly, this aid is structured as an emergency measure, ensuring that funds are delivered swiftly to those in need, thus bolstering the stability of school operations during the ongoing financial pressures posed by the energy market.

Summary

LD386, titled 'An Act to Assist Schools with Heating and Transportation Fuel Costs During the School Year', is designed to provide immediate financial relief to public elementary and secondary schools in Maine amid rising fuel costs. The bill stipulates that each school will receive a one-time allocation of $100 per student based on current enrollment numbers, aimed at alleviating the burden of increased heating and transportation fuel expenses for the 2022-2023 school year. The need for this funding stems from a significant spike in fuel prices, which has strained budgets and potentially affected school operations and student welfare.

Sentiment

The sentiment surrounding LD386 appears to be supportive across various stakeholders in education, particularly in light of the public's increasing concern over rising fuel costs that directly impact school functionality. Advocates for the bill, including educators and school administrators, express relief at the prospect of receiving targeted assistance that can enhance the learning environment without diverting funds from other critical educational initiatives. However, there may be voices of contention regarding the sustainability of such emergency funding measures and their implications on long-term budgeting processes within education.

Contention

While the immediate intent of LD386 is clear—providing financial aid against soaring fuel costs—a notable point of contention lies in discussing the bill's long-term effectiveness and potential impacts on future budget allocations for schools. Some critics may question whether emergency funding will set a precedent, expecting similar interventions for other unforeseen costs. Furthermore, the reliance on one-time funding raises concerns about continuity and stability in school budgets, urging legislators to consider structural reforms in educational financing to avoid recurring emergencies.

Companion Bills

No companion bills found.

Previously Filed As

ME LD1952

An Act Regarding Home Heating Fuel Assistance

ME HB983

Scholastic year; increase number of days for schools with an accountability rating of "D" or "F."

ME SB1472

School district budgets; three years

ME LD3

An Act to Establish the Winter Energy Relief Payment Program to Aid Residents with High Heating Costs and to Finalize the COVID Pandemic Relief Payment Program

ME HB27

In preliminary provisions, further providing for Basic Education Funding Commission and for special provisions applicable to limited school years, establishing the Child Reunification Program in the Department of Education and providing for minimum number of days or hours, for public job posting database, for instructional vacancy data and for data transparency; in duties and powers of boards of school directors, further providing for additional schools and departments; in school finances, providing for school district budget timeline for 2024 and for procedure for securing approval of electors; in grounds and buildings, further providing for limitation on new applications for Department of Education approval of public school building projects; in school directors' associations and county boards of school directors, further providing for powers and duties; in intermediate units, further providing for visual services and for school safety and security enhancements; in professional employees, repealing provisions relating to religious garb, insignia, etc., prohibited and penalty; in certification of teachers, further providing for substitute teaching permit for prospective teachers, for locally issued temporary certification for substitute teachers and for permit for classroom monitors; providing for Educator Pipeline Support Grant Program; in pupils and attendance, further providing for compulsory education of physical defectives, for dependent children, for cost of tuition and maintenance of certain exceptional children in approved institutions, for payment of cost of tuition and maintenance of certain exceptional children, for transfer of funds for transferal programs and for children under six with defective hearing and parent or guardian advised of schools, etc.; in safe schools, further providing for definitions and for Office for Safe Schools, repealing provisions relating to regulations and to reporting, further providing for policy relating to bullying and for maintenance of records, repealing provisions relating to safe schools advocate in school districts of the first class, to standing, to enforcement and to construction of article and other laws; in school safety and security, further providing for definitions and for School Safety and Security Committee, providing for duties of committee, further providing for School Safety and Security Grant Program, providing for Targeted School Safety Grants for Nonpublic Schools and School Entities Program, for standardized protocols, for county safe schools' collaborative and for school mental health grants for 2023-2024 school year, further providing for school safety and security coordinator training and providing for reporting and memorandum of understanding, for safe schools advocate in school districts of the first class and for enforcement; in school security, further providing for definitions, for school police officers, for annual report and for school security guards; in school health services, further providing for dental examinations and dental hygiene services and providing for eating disorder awareness and education; in drug and alcohol recovery high school program, providing for enrollment of students; in terms and courses of study, providing for calculation of average daily membership for a dual credit course and further providing for Economic Education and Personal Financial Literacy Programs; in early learning programs, providing for quarterly meetings; in character education program, further providing for character education program; providing for the Dual Credit Innovation and Equity Grant Program; in high schools, further providing for attendance in other districts; in community colleges, further providing for financial program and reimbursement of payments; in educational tax credits, further providing for qualification and application by organizations, for limitations and for low-achieving schools; in school districts of the first class, further providing for qualifications of principals and teachers; in funding for public libraries, providing for State aid for fiscal year 2023-2024; in credit card marketing, further providing for regulation of on-campus credit card marketing; in reimbursements by Commonwealth and between school districts, further providing for definitions and for payments on account of pupils enrolled in career and technical curriculums, providing for Level-Up Supplement for 2022-2023 school year, further providing for payments on account of courses for exceptional children, for payments to intermediate units, for assistance to school districts declared to be in financial recovery status or identified for financial watch status, for payments, for payments on account of pupil transportation, for Ready-to-Learn Block Grant and for payment of required contribution for public school employees' Social Security; in construction and renovation of buildings by school entities, further providing for applicability; providing for School Environmental Repairs Program; abrogating a regulation; and making an editorial change.

ME LD1369

An Act to Amend the Essential Programs and Services Funding Formula to Include All Costs for the Transportation of Students

ME SCR2

Provides for legislative approval of the MFP formula for the 2021-2022 school year. (7/1/21) (EN +$18,763,359 EX See Note)

ME LD181

An Act to Modify the Calculation of Pupil Counts Used for Determination of School Administrative Unit Operating Costs

ME A5186

Makes various changes to school funding and budgeting laws; eliminates use of census-based funding for special education aid; establishes reimbursement program for school district fuel costs.

ME H0868

An act relating to the fiscal year 2025 Transportation Program and miscellaneous changes to laws related to transportation

Similar Bills

No similar bills found.