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132nd MAINE LEGISLATURE
FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2025
Legislative Document No. 513S.P. 232 In Senate, February 11, 2025
An Act to Allow the Spouse of a School Board Member to Serve as a
Stipend Employee Within the School Board's Jurisdiction
Received by the Secretary of the Senate on February 7, 2025. Referred to the Committee
on Education and Cultural Affairs pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Presented by Senator MOORE of Washington.
Cosponsored by Representative TUELL of East Machias and
Representatives: MCINTYRE of Lowell, QUINT of Hodgdon, SAYRE of Kennebunk,
STROUT of Harrington. Page 1 - 132LR1260(01)
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2 as enacted by PL 2021, c. 242, ยง2, is
3 amended to read:
4 A-1. "Stipend employee" means a person who receives limited monetary payment or
5 benefits, through a series of payments or in a lump sum, for personal services
6 performed in an advisory, mentoring or coaching capacity for a school administrative
7 unit.
8 This paragraph is repealed July 1, 2028.
9 is enacted to read:
10 B. A school board may permit the spouse of a member of the school board to serve as
11 a stipend employee on a contractual basis when that action is in the best interest of
12 students and a summation of potential conflicts of interest is documented and steps to
13 mitigate potential risks or negative outcomes are described in the signed contract. A
14 school board may adopt a written policy on nepotism that includes hiring practices for
15 school-sanctioned stipend positions, discourages favoritism and political patronage,
16 considers the needs of the school system and provides that all qualified applicants have
17 a fair and equal opportunity to be selected on merit, with priority selection
18 consideration given to the best interest of students without restrictions based solely on
19 family association.
20 This paragraph is repealed July 1, 2028.
21 is enacted to read:
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24 member's spouse to serve as a volunteer. A school board may adopt a written policy on
25 nepotism to discourage favoritism and political patronage, consider the needs of the school
26 system and provide that all volunteers have a fair and equal opportunity to be selected on
27 merit, with priority consideration given to the best interest of students without restrictions
28 based solely on family association.
29 This subsection is repealed July 1, 2028.
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31 This bill provides that a school board may permit a school board member's spouse to
32 serve as a stipend employee and a volunteer. A school board may adopt a written policy on
33 nepotism that includes hiring practices for school-sanctioned stipend positions, discourages
34 favoritism and political patronage, considers the needs of the school system and provides
35 that all qualified applicants or volunteers have a fair and equal opportunity to be selected
36 on merit, with priority consideration given to the best interest of students without
37 restrictions based solely on family association. The bill's provisions include a repeal date
38 of July 1, 2028.
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