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An Act To Allow the Waldo County Budget Committee To Appoint Replacement Members
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  the budgets of counties are important undertakings requiring the participation of representatives of municipalities throughout the county; and
Whereas,  when a vacancy occurs in a county budget committee, it reduces the ability of the budget committee to adequately represent all of its constituents and makes the task of creating a county budget more difficult; and
Whereas,  county budget committees need adequate and prompt mechanisms to fill a vacancy when a municipality of a vacating member is unwilling or unable to fill the vacancy so that the budget committee can timely and efficiently produce a budget representing the interests of the entire county; and
Whereas,  there may be a need to replace committee members before the next budget cycle; and
Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 30-A MRSA §853, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 737, Pt. A, §2 and Pt. C, §106 and amended by PL 1989, c. 6; c. 9, §2; and c. 104, Pt. C, §§8 and 10, is further amended to read:
 
4. Vacancies.   A vacancy occurring on the budget committee shallmust be filled by the committee for the balance of the unexpired term. The person appointed to fill the vacant office must be a municipal officer from the same municipality as the person vacating the office. If the municipality of the person vacating the office declines to send a new member, the committee may solicit another municipality in the same district as the municipality of the vacating member that does not have a member sitting on the committee to send a municipal officer to fill the vacancy.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
 
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 128th Legislature, First Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.