Whereas, the State must ensure that at least 45% of its economic development assistance be directed towards those areas of the State with high unemployment and used for economic development activities that reduce unemployment in those areas; and

Whereas, that assistance must begin immediately; and

Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §13058, sub-§6, ¶¶E and F, as amended by PL 2001, c. 703, §2, are further amended to read:

E. A foreign trade zone program; and

F. The Business Assistance Referral and Facilitation Program, pursuant to section 13063.; and

Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §13058, sub-§6, ¶H is enacted to read:

H.__The Economic Development Zone Program as established in section 13073-B.__This paragraph is repealed January 1, 2007.

Sec. 3. 5 MRSA §13073-B is enacted to read:

§13073-B.__Economic Development Zone Program

The Economic Development Zone Program, referred to in this section as "the program," is established within the Office of Tourism and Community Development.__The purpose of the program is to identify those areas of the State with high unemployment as economic development zones and to coordinate the department's economic development expenditures to ensure that at least 45% of the department's economic development expenditures are directed to those economic development zones and used for economic development activities that reduce unemployment in those areas.__The Director of the Office of Tourism and Community Development shall administer the program and shall ensure that the department's economic development expenditures are expended in accordance with the goals of the program.