| | | Constitutional amendment. Resolved: Two thirds of each branch of the | | Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the | | Constitution of Maine be proposed: |
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| | | Constitution, Art. IX, §21 is amended to read: |
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| | | Section 21. State mandates. For the purpose of more fairly | | apportioning the cost of government and providing local property | | tax relief, the State may not require a local unit of government | | to expand or modify that unit's activities so as to necessitate | | additional expenditures from local revenues unless the State | | provides annually 90% of the funding for these expenditures from | | State funds not previously appropriated to that local unit of | government. Legislation implementing this section or requiring a | specific expenditure as an exception to this requirement may be | enacted upon the vote of 2/3 of all members elected to each | House. This section must be liberally construed. |
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| | | Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question; effective date. Resolved: | | That the municipal officers of this State shall notify the | | inhabitants of their respective cities, towns and plantations to | | meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a statewide | | election, at a statewide election, on the Tuesday following the | | first Monday of November following the passage of this | | resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the amendment | | proposed in this resolution by voting upon the following | | question: |
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| | | "Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to | | eliminate the ability of the Legislature, by 2/3 majority, | | to pass legislation imposing mandates on municipalities for | | which no funding is provided?" |
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| | | The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall vote | | by ballot on this question and designate their choice by a cross | | or check mark placed within the corresponding square below the | | word "Yes" or "No." The ballots must be received, sorted, | | counted and declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings | | and returns made to the Secretary of State in the same manner as | | votes for members of the Legislature. The Governor shall review | | the returns and, if it appears that a majority of the legal votes | | are cast in favor of the amendment, the Governor shall proclaim | | that fact without delay and the amendment becomes part of the | | Constitution on the date of the proclamation; and be it further |
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| | | Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: That the Secretary of | | State shall prepare and furnish to each city, |
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