LD 823 Summary (132nd Maine Legislature)
Title: An Act to Establish a Grant Program to Provide for Statewide and Equitable Access to Experiential Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Competition Programs
Status: Carried over in the same posture to any special or regular session (Joint Order SP 800). Introduced March 4, 2025. Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs.
Purpose and Intent
- Create a statewide grant program to expand equitable, hands-on STEM competition opportunities for students across Maine.
- Focus on increasing access to experiential STEM programs beyond traditional or urban settings, aligning with statewide curriculum and STEM education goals.
Key Provisions
- Establishment of a grant program administered by the Maine Technology Institute (MTI), within the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD).
- MTI would award grants to an organization for activities related to statewide STEM competition programs designed to provide experiential learning opportunities.
- The program aims to promote statewide reach and equitable access to STEM competitions.
Funding and Fiscal Impact
- Ongoing General Fund appropriations of $75,000 per year beginning in FY 2025-26.
- Purpose of funds: to support MTI in awarding grants to organizations for statewide STEM competition activities.
- Administrative costs for MTI to administer the grant program are expected to be absorbed within existing budgeted resources.
- Preliminary and amended fiscal notes both reflect the same ongoing $75,000/year General Fund cost and matching administrative considerations.
Administration and Oversight
- MTI is the designated administrator of the grant program, with DECD as the parent department.
- The bill envisions grants being used to support organizations that run statewide experiential STEM competition programs.
Who is Affected
- Students statewide who participate in experiential STEM competitions (through partner organizations funded by MTI).
- Organizations that design, host, or coordinate statewide STEM competition programs.
- Maine agencies (MTI and DECD) responsible for administration and oversight of the grant program.
Procedural and Timeline Details
- Introduced March 4, 2025; referred to Education and Cultural Affairs.
- Committee amendment A (S-201) adopted; widely moved through standard committee and floor processes (OTP-AM, passage to be enacted, concurrence, etc.) in May–June 2025.
- As of the latest status, the bill was carried over to any special or regular session of the 132nd Legislature, per Joint Order SP 800.
Notes
- No specific program criteria, reporting requirements, or eligible entities are detailed in the provided documents; those would be defined in the bill’s final enacted text or in forthcoming implementing rules.
