| | | Constitutional amendment. Resolved: Two thirds of each branch of the | | Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the | | Constitution of Maine be proposed: |
|
| | | Constitution, Art. IV, Part Third, §24 is enacted to read: |
|
| | | Section 24.__Limitation on growth of state budget |
|
| | | The Legislature shall establish a General Fund expenditure | | ceiling that limits the growth of General Fund appropriations, | | excluding federal funds received by the General Fund, to the | | estimated rate of growth of the State's economy as measured by | | the sum of inflation plus the percentage change in state | | population in the prior calendar year.__No appropriations in | | excess of this ceiling may be authorized during any | | legislative session unless the Legislature, by a 2/3 vote of | | the entire elected membership of both Houses, sets forth the | | dollar amount and the rate by which the ceiling will be | | exceeded and the reasons therefore. |
|
| | | 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: |
|
| | | "Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to | | establish a ceiling on state spending and require a 2/3 | | vote of the Legislature to approve General Fund | | expenditures that exceed the rate of inflation plus the | | percentage change in state population in the prior | | calendar year?" |
|
| | | 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 of Maine on | | the date of the proclamation; and be it further |
|
|
