Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §906, sub-§8 is enacted to read:

8.__Fiscal impact of direct initiative referenda.__Whenever a direct initiative of legislation is presented to the voters of the State pursuant to the Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part Third, Section 18, the question presented to the voters must be accompanied on the ballot by a statement of the estimated fiscal impact of the proposed legislation on state revenues, appropriations and allocations.__The Office of Fiscal and Program Review shall prepare the fiscal statement.__The validity of the direct initiative legislation and of the voters' ratification of that legislation is not affected by any errors in the fiscal impact estimate.__If the actual fiscal impact varies from such an estimate, the ratification by the voters is nevertheless conclusive and the validity of the legislation is not affected by reason of the variance.

SUMMARY

The Constitution of Maine authorizes the direct initiative of legislation by the people of the State. This bill requires that ballots on such legislation include a statement of the fiscal impact of the legislation on state revenues, appropriations and allocations, prepared by the Office of Fiscal and Program Review.