LD 575
pg. 1
LD 575 Title Page RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Allow Maine ... Page 2 of 2
Download Bill Text
LR 2290
Item 1

 
Constitutional amendment. Resolved: Two thirds of each branch of the
Legislature concurring, that the following amendment to the
Constitution of Maine be proposed:

 
Constitution, Art. X, §4-A is enacted to read:

 
Section 4-A.__Direct initiation of amendments to Constitution.__
The electors may initiate proposals to the Legislature to amend
the Constitution as provided in this section.

 
1.__Petition procedure.__The electors commence direct
initiation of a constitutional amendment by a petition addressed
to the Legislature or to either branch of the Legislature and
filed in the office of the Secretary of State.__The number of
signatures on the petition must be at least 10% of the total
number of votes cast for Governor in the last gubernatorial
election preceding the filing of the petition.__The date each
signature is made must be written next to the signature, and any
signature older than one year from the date the petition is filed
is not valid.

 
2.__Referral of amendment to electors.__An amendment to the
Constitution initiated by the electors must be submitted to the
electors for approval at the next statewide election.__If 2/3 of
the votes are in favor of the proposed amendment to the
Constitution, it must be submitted to the Legislature for
ratification.

 
3.__Ratification by Legislature.__If the amendment to the
Constitution is approved by the voters, the Legislature shall
vote on ratification of that amendment within 60 days of
convening at the next regular session.__The amendment to the
Constitution must be presented for ratification first in the
House of Representatives and then in the Senate.__Ratification of
the amendment to the Constitution requires a majority vote of the
entire membership in each House.__If the Legislature adjourns
without voting on ratification, the Governor shall call the
Legislature into special session within 30 days of adjournment
for the purpose of voting on ratification.

 
4.__Presentment to Governor.__If ratified by the Legislature,
the amendment to the Constitution must be presented to the
Governor for approval.__If approved and signed by the Governor,
the amendment to the Constitution takes effect immediately.__If
not approved, the Governor shall return the amendment to the
Constitution, with objections noted, to the House of
Representatives.__The process for reconsideration by the
Legislature is the same as that provided in Article IV, Part
Third, Section 2 for bills, except that a majority vote of both
Houses is required to pass the amendment to the Constitution over


LD 575 Title Page Top of Page Page 2 of 2