Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §907 is enacted to read:

§907.__Disclosure of ballot questions

1.__Notice required.__At least one week before the election, the Secretary of State shall send by regular mail to every registered voter a notice detailing any statewide direct petition that will appear on the ballot.__The notice must be in an easy- to-read booklet form.

2.__Notice contents.__The booklet must include for each direct initiative question:

A.__The complete text of the initiative legislation that appeared on the petition, including the summary;

B.__A neutral nonpartisan analysis of the effect of passage in existing laws;

C.__A statement of fiscal and tax consequences of the initiative legislation; and

D.__Statements by proponents and opponents and rebuttals to those statements.

3.__Rulemaking.__The Secretary of State shall adopt routine technical rules in accordance with Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II-A to implement this section.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Secretary of State to send a booklet to every registered voter in the State detailing the petition language, providing an analysis of tax and fiscal consequences and the effect on existing law, and including statements for and against every direct initiative question that will appear on the ballot at the next statewide election.