An Act To Help Ensure That the Legislature Has the Information Necessary To Do the Work of the People of Maine

Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §21201,  as enacted by PL 1993, c. 675, Pt. C, §12, is amended to read:

§ 21201. Findings

The Legislature finds that difficulties in interactions among the Executive Department executive branch, the Legislature and the Judicial Department judicial branch often arise from the lack of understanding of the functions, structures, needs and perspectives of the 3 separate but coequal branches of government. Increased communication and coordination in daily activities as well as in long-range planning are possible to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of all 3 branches without the imposition of the views or directions of one or 2 branches upon another. The Legislature finds that active participation by the executive branch in the lawmaking process is essential to producing informed and effective legislation. The Legislature finds that the Constitution of Maine, Articles IV and V provide for shared participation in the lawmaking process and that shared responsibility has long been recognized and respected. The Legislature finds that a blanket policy by the executive branch that severely limits executive branch engagement and participation in the legislative process is contrary to these fundamental understandings and intentions underlying the Constitution of Maine and that the Governor should provide reasonably accessible information and expertise when the Legislature reasonably so requests.