§8307-A. Reorganization procedures
The governing body of one or more units, or the commissioner, may prepare a plan for reorganizing the provision of career and technical education in or among existing regions or geographic areas served by existing centers and present the reorganization plan to the state board for its approval. A unit may prepare a reorganization plan only for a region or center that serves or is proposed to serve the unit. [RR 2003, c. 2, §47 (COR).]
1. Contents of reorganization plan. The reorganization plan must:
A. Describe the deficiencies in the current method of providing career and technical education in a region or geographic area served by a center that require reorganizing the provision of career and technical education in that region or geographic area; [RR 2003, c. 2, §48 (COR).]
B. Present an alternative organizational method of providing career and technical education in a region or geographic area served by a center; [RR 2003, c. 2, §48 (COR).]
C. Present a method for assigning title to and obligations for property and indebtedness respectively of any region or center affected by a reorganization plan; [PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW).]
D. Contain the applicable plan required by section 8306; and [PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW).]
E. Present any other information requested by the state board. [PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW).]
[RR 2003, c. 2, §48 (COR).]
2. Assessment by the commissioner. The commissioner shall:
A. Assess the impact of the reorganization plan on the provision of career and technical education in any region or geographic area served by a center that is affected by the reorganization plan; [RR 2003, c. 2, §49 (COR).]
B. Assess the fiscal impact of the reorganization plan on the State; and [PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW).]
C. Submit a written report of findings to the state board. In the report, the commissioner may suggest revisions to the reorganization plan as submitted or the commissioner may propose an alternative reorganization plan. In the report, the commissioner shall specifically recommend approval or disapproval by the state board of the reorganization plan as submitted, as revised or in alternative form. [PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW).]
[RR 2003, c. 2, §49 (COR).]
3. Affected entities. For purposes of this section, the following entities are deemed affected by a reorganization plan:
A. A unit that is served, or is proposed to be served, by a region or center that is reorganized under a reorganization plan; and [PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW).]
B. A region or center that is reorganized under a reorganization plan. [PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW).]
For purposes of this subsection a "region or center that is reorganized under a reorganization plan" means a region or center that, as a result of a reorganization plan, undergoes a change in the units served by it or a change in the organizational structure by which it serves those units.
[PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW).]
4. Additional information requested by state board. As part of the commissioner's assessment of a reorganization plan, or as part of its own consideration of such a plan, the state board may request additional information from any region, center, unit or affiliated unit affected by such a plan.
[PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW).]
5. State board approval. The state board may approve or disapprove the reorganization plan, based on the reorganization plan submitted to the state board, the assessment undertaken by the commissioner, any additional information requested by the state board and any public comments received by the state board in connection with that reorganization plan.
[PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW).]
6. Local public hearings. If the reorganization plan is approved by the state board, the unit or units that prepared the reorganization plan shall hold at least one public hearing in each such unit or units and at least one public hearing in another unit affected by the reorganization plan and selected by the governing body of each center or region affected by the reorganization plan to present the plan to the voters residing in those units affected by the plan. If the reorganization plan is prepared by the commissioner and approved by the state board, the commissioner shall hold at least one public hearing in a unit affected by the reorganization plan and selected by the commissioner and at least one public hearing in another unit affected by the reorganization plan and selected by the governing body of each center or region affected by the reorganization plan to present the plan to the voters residing in units affected by the plan. The career and technical education director and the cooperative board of any region affected by a reorganization plan, and the career and technical education director, advisory committee and governing body of any center affected by a reorganization plan, must be invited to participate at the public hearings.
[RR 2003, c. 2, §50 (COR).]
7. Local referendum. After the public hearings required by subsection 6, the school board of the unit or units that prepared the reorganization plan, or the commissioner if the commissioner prepared the reorganization plan, shall submit the proposal contained in that plan to the voters of each unit affected by the reorganization plan in accordance with the provisions for holding referendum elections under sections 1351 to 1354 and in Title 21‑A and Title 30‑A. The state board must approve the form of the question to be presented to the voters prior to its submission.
[PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW).]
8. Local voter approval; issuance of certificate of approval by state board. If the referendum required by subsection 7 is approved by 2/3 or greater of the votes cast in a majority of the units affected by the reorganization plan, the state board shall issue a certificate of approval making effective the provisions of the reorganization plan. A reorganization plan that proposes creation of a new center or region must also comply with the requirements of subchapters III and IV respectively prior to receiving a certificate of approval from the state board.
[PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1991, c. 518, §8 (NEW). PL 1991, c. 716, §7 (AMD). RR 2003, c. 2, §§47-50 (COR).