PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following:
‘An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue To Support Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics and Nursing Education To Enhance Economic Development’
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1. Authorization of bonds. The Treasurer of State is authorized, under the direction of the Governor, to issue bonds in the name and on behalf of the State in an amount not exceeding $15,500,000 for the purposes described in section 5 of this Act. The bonds are a pledge of the full faith and credit of the State. The bonds may not run for a period longer than 10 years from the date of the original issue of the bonds.
Sec. 2. Records of bonds issued; Treasurer of State. The Treasurer of State shall ensure that an account of each bond is kept showing the number of the bond, the name of the successful bidder to whom sold, the amount received for the bond, the date of sale and the date when payable.
Sec. 3. Sale; how negotiated; proceeds appropriated. The Treasurer of State may negotiate the sale of the bonds by direction of the Governor, but no bond may be loaned, pledged or hypothecated on behalf of the State. The proceeds of the sale of the bonds, which must be held by the Treasurer of State and paid by the Treasurer of State upon warrants drawn by the State Controller, are appropriated solely for the purposes set forth in this Act. Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion of the project in this Act lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general obligation bonds.
Sec. 4. Interest and debt retirement. The Treasurer of State shall pay interest due or accruing on any bonds issued under this Act and all sums coming due for payment of bonds at maturity.
Sec. 5. Disbursement of bond proceeds from General Fund bond issue. The proceeds of the sale of the bonds authorized under this Act must be expended as designated in the following schedule under the direction and supervision of the agencies and entities set forth in this section.

UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM		

Provides funds for the construction and renovation of necessary capital infrastructure improvements and for equipment to support the critical disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics on the Orono campus.

Total	$5,500,000	

Provides funds to renovate and upgrade science and nursing laboratories on the Augusta and Bangor campuses.

Total	$1,200,000	

Provides funds to renovate the science facilities in Preble Hall and Ricker Hall on the Farmington campus.

Total	$1,200,000	

Provides funds to renovate and expand the nursing laboratory and to support geographic information system technology applications in forestry on the Fort Kent campus.

Total	$1,200,000	

Provides funds to renovate and improve Powers Hall and to upgrade the laboratory in the science building on the Machias campus.

Total	$1,200,000	

Provides funds to renovate and upgrade the facilities, equipment and furnishings for the science, technology, engineering and mathematics facilities on the Presque Isle campus.

Total	$1,200,000	

Provides funds to renovate laboratories on the University of Southern Maine campuses.

Total	$4,000,000	
 
Sec. 6. Contingent upon ratification of bond issue. Sections 1 to 5 do not become effective unless the people of the State ratify the issuance of the bonds as set forth in this Act.
Sec. 7. Appropriation balances at year-end. At the end of each fiscal year, all unencumbered appropriation balances representing state money carry forward. Bond proceeds that have not been expended within 10 years after the date of the sale of the bonds lapse to the Office of the Treasurer of State to be used for the retirement of general obligation bonds.
Sec. 8. Bonds authorized but not issued. Any bonds authorized but not issued within 5 years of ratification of this Act are deauthorized and may not be issued, except that the Legislature may, within 2 years after the expiration of that 5-year period, extend the period for issuing any remaining unissued bonds for an additional amount of time not to exceed 5 years.
Sec. 9. Referendum for ratification; submission at election; form of question; effective date. This Act must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at a statewide election held in the month of November following passage of this Act. 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, to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Act by voting on the following question:
 
"Do you favor a $15,500,000 bond issue to enhance educational and employment opportunities for Maine citizens and students by updating and improving existing laboratory and classroom facilities of the University of Maine System statewide?"
 
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 a 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. If a majority of the legal votes are cast in favor of this Act, the Governor shall proclaim the result without delay and this Act becomes effective 30 days after the date of the proclamation.
The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this Act necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment reduces the amount of the bond issue provided in the bill and provides for a bond issue in the amount of $15,500,000 to be used for the renovation and upgrade of laboratories and other facilities related to science, technology, engineering, mathematics and nursing and to support geographic information system technology applications in forestry on the campuses of the University of Maine System.