AUGUSTA – Anyone who has something to say to lawmakers about Gov. John Baldacci’s plan to expand laptop computers to high-school grades will get their chance at a public hearing Monday.

Baldacci has proposed spending $45 million over four years to expand the laptop program from the seventh and eight grades to all high-school grades. The proposal was tucked into his so-called “change package” to the supplemental budget.

Lawmakers reacted with surprise, saying it’s a major expansion of a program at a time when the state is cutting programs to the poor and disabled. They called for a public hearing on the proposal to assess support and concerns.

“We had three students from Auburn, including one from Edward Little, who said that without having the laptops at the high school, she didn’t have the same contact with her teachers through e-mail,” said Sen. Neria Douglass, D-Auburn, who co-chairs the Education Committee.

Access to computers in high schools is a problem, Douglass said. There are computers in the library, but the demand is so high they’re rarely available. On the other hand, some taxpayers are unhappy about the state spending millions for more laptops.

At Monday’s hearing there’ll be an overview on the proposal by Education Commissioner Susan Gendron, with handouts on the time table and local costs connected with Baldacci’s proposal.

As proposed local schools would eventually have to pay a 45 percent share, but that share could be lower for some districts, Douglass said.

The public hearing will be held at 1 p.m. in Room 208 of the State Office Building before the Legislature’s Education Committee.

By Bonnie Washuk