Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §353, as amended by PL 1991, c. 837, Pt. A, §1, is further amended to read:

§353. Explanation of proposed amendments and statewide referenda

With the assistance of the Secretary of State, the Attorney General shall prepare a brief explanatory statement which that must fairly describe the intent and content of and what a "yes" vote favors and a "no" vote opposes for each constitutional resolution or statewide referendum that may be presented to the people and which that must include any information prepared by the Treasurer of State under Title 5, section 152. The explanatory statement may not include comments of proponents or opponents as provided by section 354. In addition to the explanatory statement, the Secretary of State and the Attorney General shall prepare an explanation of what a yes vote favors and a no vote opposes beginning with the November 2006 election the Office of Fiscal and Program Review shall prepare an estimate of the fiscal impact of each constitutional resolution or statewide referendum on state revenues, appropriations and allocations. The Secretary of State shall publish this the explanatory statement and the fiscal estimate in each daily newspaper of the State, not more than 10 and not less than 7 days prior to the voting. The explanatory statement This information may be published in the English language in a foreign language newspaper.

Sec. 2. 1 MRSA §354 is enacted to read:

§354.__Public comment on proposed amendments and statewide

referenda; rules; fees

The Secretary of State shall adopt rules regarding the publication of public comment by proponents and opponents of constitutional resolutions or statewide referenda.__These rules must include, but are not limited to, a word limit, the labeling of public comment as supporting or opposing a measure and the identification of the person or persons responsible for the comment.__Rules adopted pursuant to this section are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.__Beginning with the November 2006 election and every election thereafter, the Secretary of State shall publish the public comment, along with the explanatory statement and fiscal estimate required under section 353, on a publicly accessible site on the Internet and in pamphlets distributed to the municipalities of the State.__A person filing a public comment for publication shall pay a fee of $500 to the Secretary of State.__Fees collected pursuant to this section must be deposited