Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §906, sub-§6, śC, as repealed and replaced by PL 1993, c. 352, §3, is amended to read:

C. The question must be phrased so that an affirmative vote is in favor of the people's veto or direct initiative subject matter of the question rather than the position of the petitioner. If the question is to repeal an existing law, the question must be phrased in a way that an affirmative vote is a vote to retain the law and a negative vote is a vote to repeal the law.

Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §2504, as corrected by RR 1999, c. 1, §43, is amended to read:

§2504. Circulation of petitions for local initiative

No A municipality may not enact any charter provision or ordinance prohibiting the circulation of petitions for any local initiative. A petition related to any local initiative, including, without limitation, petitions filed under section 2522, section 2528, subsection 5, the Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part Third, Section 21, or a municipal charter provision authorizing local initiatives, may be circulated as provided in Title 21-A, section sections 903-A, 904, 904-A and 904-B.

Sec. 3. 30-A MRSA §2528, sub-§6, śC, as amended by PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8 and 10, is further amended to read:

C. Any question or questions required by law to be submitted to a vote shall must be printed either below the list of candidates or on a separate ballot from the ballot listing candidates. The question must be phrased so that an affirmative vote is in favor of the subject matter of the question.__If the question is to repeal an existing law, the question must be phrased in a way that an affirmative vote is a vote to retain the law and a negative vote is a vote to repeal the law. If a separate ballot is used, this ballot must be a different color than the ballot listing candidates.

SUMMARY

This bill requires that the wording of referenda be phrased so that an affirmative vote is in favor of the subject matter in question rather than in favor of the petitioner's position.