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Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
‘Resolve, To Study the Creation of a People's Veto Process for Actions of County Commissioners’
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1 Study of people's veto process for actions of county commissioners. Resolved: That, notwithstanding Joint Rule 353, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House shall convene a working group to study the creation of a people's veto process for actions of county commissioners taking into account the following: the effects of a people's veto on county budget and finance committees at various times of the year; the effects of the costs of elections on municipal budgets; concerns that a small minority could require a countywide vote; concerns that a small budget item or action by commissioners could require a countywide vote; the application of a people's veto to counties with charters; and the effect of a people's veto on the unorganized territory's budget. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House shall invite the participation of the following:
1. A representative from the Maine County Commissioners Association;
2. A representative from the Maine Municipal Association;
3. A representative who is a county manager or county administrator;
4. The fiscal administrator of the unorganized territory;
5. A representative from a county budget or finance committee in a county where the county commissioners do not put forth the budget; and
6. A representative from a county budget or finance committee in a county where the county commissioners do put forth the budget.
Following the convening of the working group the members shall select a chair from among themselves; and be it further
Sec. 2 Report. Resolved: That, no later than January 15, 2014, the working group shall submit a report based on the study in subsection 1 that includes findings and recommendations, including suggested legislation, to the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government. The joint standing committee may report out a bill based on the report to the Second Regular Session of the 126th Legislature.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment is the minority report of the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government, and it strikes and replaces the bill. It requires the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House to convene a working group to study the issue of creating a people's veto process on actions of county commissioners and requires the working group to report to the committee by January 15, 2014. The amendment also gives the committee permission to report out a bill based on the findings of the study.