An Act to Clarify the Process for a County Bond Referendum Election
Mandate preamble. This measure requires one or more local units of government to expand or modify activities so as to necessitate additional expenditures from local revenues but does not provide funding for at least 90% of those expenditures. Pursuant to the Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 21, two thirds of all of the members elected to each House have determined it necessary to enact this measure.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §934, as amended by PL 1991, c. 778, §1, is further amended to read:
The county commissioners may obtain loans of money for the use of their county and cause notes or, obligations or bonds, with coupons for lawful interest, to be issued for payment of the loans. These loans may not exceed $10,000, except in Franklin County and Aroostook County as provided in sections 935 and 935-A, without first obtaining the consent of the county, substantially as provided in section 122 or by countywide referendum pursuant to section 938.
Sec. 2. 30-A MRSA §936, as amended by PL 1989, c. 104, Pt. C, §§8 and 10, is repealed.
Sec. 3. 30-A MRSA §938 is enacted to read:
§938. Bond issue referendum election; conduct; public hearings
Except as otherwise provided in sections 122, 934 and 937, the method of voting and the conduct of a county bond referendum election are governed by Title 21-A.
1. County commissioners, administrators; perform duties of Secretary of State. When Title 21-A applies to a county bond referendum election, the county commissioners or county administrators shall perform the duties of the Secretary of State prescribed by Title 21-A.
2. Budget review; public hearings. Prior to each county bond referendum election, each county bond issue question must be reviewed by the appropriate county budget committee. Following this review, the county commissioners shall conduct at least one public hearing in each of the county commissioner districts in that county. The public hearing must include a reading of each bond issue question proposed by the commissioners to be voted upon by the county.
3. Statewide election. A county bond referendum election may only be conducted during a statewide election.
4. Result filed with the Secretary of State. The result of a county bond referendum election must be declared by the county commissioners or countyadministrators and due certificate filed with the Secretary of State.
Effective August 11, 2000, unless otherwise indicated.
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