PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
An Act To Require That the 3 Branches of Government Be Listed Separately in Budget Documents and Budget Bills
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 5 MRSA §1664, sub-§2,  as enacted by PL 2005, c. 601, §1, is amended to read:
 
2. Judicial branch appropriations or allocations.  All appropriations and allocations for judicial branch agencies must be segregated in the budget document and the budget bills into a separate part from appropriations and allocations for executive branch and legislative branch agencies. If the Governor submits legislation setting forth appropriations or allocations for the Judicial Department that differ from the full budget request submitted by the Judicial Department under Title 4, section 24, the Governor shall simultaneously submit a report to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs and judiciary matters explaining why the Governor's budget legislation differs from the Judicial Department's budget submission.
Sec. 2. 5 MRSA §1664, sub-§3,  as enacted by PL 2005, c. 601, §1, is amended to read:
 
3. Legislative branch appropriations or allocations.  All appropriations and allocations for legislative branch agencies must be segregated in the budget document and the budget bills into a separate part from appropriations and allocations for executive branch and judicial branch agencies. If the Governor submits legislation setting forth appropriations or allocations for the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability that differ from the budget request presented by the Legislative Council on behalf of that office, the Governor shall simultaneously submit a report to the Legislative Council and the Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability explaining why the Governor's budget legislation differs from the Legislative Council's budget request.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires the Governor to segregate the agencies of the judicial, legislative and executive branches into separate parts within the budget document and the budget bills.