Rep. Holly Sargent

Maddy summaryLD 181 modifies how Maine school districts calculate student enrollment for funding. It changes the method used to determine "pupil counts" for school operating costs, shifting from a two-year average to a three-year average starting in fiscal year 2026-27, with a special rule for districts experiencing a 10% or greater enrollment decline. The bill affects all Maine school administrative units (districts), as their state funding depends on these calculated counts. Key provisions include using the greater of a three-year average or the most recent single-year count for funding after 2026-27, and maintaining special education funding rules tied to the updated enrollment data. This directly impacts how school budgets are allocated based on student population trends.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends an existing law to provide funding for a new state position dedicated to helping students facing educational disruptions. The added funds will support a program manager who establishes a network of liaisons to assist children experiencing homelessness, unstable housing, foster care placement, hospitalization, or incarceration. These liaisons will work directly with families and schools to ensure these students maintain access to education during times of crisis. The legislation allocates specific budget amounts for the position and related operational costs for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 fiscal years.

Maddy summaryLD 2237 allocates $17.3 million to the Maine Department of Health and Human Services to expand mental health crisis intervention services available around the clock. The funding specifically supports mobile response teams by hiring peer support specialists, recovery coaches, and behavioral health liaisons, while also covering travel costs and critical incident response. Additionally, the bill amends the text to ensure the Public Utilities Commission coordinates with relevant agencies in the implementation of these safety measures. These changes aim to provide more immediate and accessible mental health support to individuals in crisis situations across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates state funding to hire five additional education specialists within the Maine Department of Education to speed up the processing of teacher certifications. The money is designated for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 fiscal years to cover salaries and operational costs for these new positions. These staff members will handle certification applications, oversee the certification process, and support the educator excellence team's programming. The changes take effect on October 1, 2023.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends a larger education act to add specific funding for raising the minimum annual salary for certified and career and technical education teachers in Maine. The legislation directs the state to increase this salary floor from $40,000 in the 2023-24 school year to $50,000 by the 2027-28 school year. To support these higher wages, the bill allocates approximately $3.5 million from the general fund, which also covers additional costs for employer retirement contributions. These financial provisions apply to the Department of Education and affect local schools across the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Maine's protection from abuse laws to allow courts to issue final orders that keep defendants away from specific locations or within a certain distance of the victim. The legislation grants judges the authority to explicitly prohibit defendants from being present at designated places as part of a protection order. To support this change, the bill allocates $6,200 in state funding for the Judicial Department to update relevant court forms and case management systems. The new provisions are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the state's special education funding formula to change when a specific funding threshold takes effect. Instead of the originally proposed start date of fiscal year 2022-23, the new minimum state share of 55% for certain school districts will begin in fiscal year 2024-25. Additionally, the legislation removes a requirement for the Department of Education to review and report on these specific school administrative units. These changes directly affect how state funds are distributed to school districts providing special education services.

Maddy summaryThis bill allocates $300,000 from the state's General Fund to support the Malaga 1912 Scholarship Fund for the 2023-24 fiscal year. The funds are designated for one-time scholarships awarded to descendants of former residents of Malaga Island, a historically significant site in Maine. A nonprofit organization will be responsible for administering the scholarship program on behalf of the Department of Education. This legislative action provides financial resources to assist eligible descendants in pursuing educational opportunities.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends Maine's school funding formula to require specific staffing ratios for student support roles in public schools. It lowers the student-to-guidance staff ratio for elementary and middle schools from 350:1 to 250:1 and establishes new requirements for a clinical mental health provider ratio of 250:1 and a school psychologist ratio of 500:1 across all school levels. The legislation defines clinical mental health providers to include licensed social workers, counselors, and pastoral counselors, and allocates over $81 million in state funds to cover the costs of hiring staff to meet these standards. Additionally, the bill authorizes a pilot program to train 15 to 20 public school employees as behavior analysts in collaboration with the University of Southern Maine.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a procedural amendment that adds a fiscal note to a resolution proposing a constitutional change. The resolution itself would establish that all residents of Maine have equal rights under the law. The amendment does not alter the substance of the proposed constitutional language but includes required financial documentation for the legislative process.