Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §901, sub-§3-B, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 352, §1, is amended to read:

3-B. Approved petitions printed by voters. A voter must print the petitions in the form approved by the Secretary of State.

The petition must include in a large typeface a brief description of the proposed law, an economic impact statement and an environmental impact statement prepared by the Executive Department, State Planning Office.__In preparing the description and the statements the State Planning Office shall consult with experts in the University of Maine System.

Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §901, sub-§3-C is enacted to read:

3-C.__Notice to public; appeal.__As soon as the applicant has given written consent to the final language for the proposed law for a direct initiative under subsection 3-A, the Secretary of State shall provide notice to the public that a petition has been submitted and shall invite public comment on the wording of the ballot question for a period of 10 business days.

Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §901, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1997, c. 581, §4, is further amended to read:

4. Ballot question. The ballot question for an initiative or a people's veto referendum must be drafted by the Secretary of State in accordance with section 906 and rules adopted in accordance with the Maine Administrative Procedure Act. The Secretary of State shall provide the ballot question to the applicant for a people's veto referendum within 10 business days after receipt of a properly completed application. The Secretary of State shall provide the ballot question to the applicant for an initiative within 10 20 business days after the applicant has submitted to the Secretary of State written consent to the final language of the proposed law has provided notice to the public under subsection 3-C. The question must be conspicuously displayed on the face of the petition.

SUMMARY

This bill amends the law governing the direct initiative of legislation to require that petitions contain a description of the proposal and statements setting out the environmental and economic impacts. The bill also requires the Secretary of State to give notice to the public to allow input on the wording of