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An Act To Resolve Tie Votes by the Washington County Budget Advisory Committee
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  county budget advisory committees perform a valuable public service in the development of the budgets of their respective counties; and
Whereas,  it serves the public interest for county budget advisory committees to resolve disagreements and issues regarding deliberations concerning county budgets and recommendations made by the committees; and
Whereas,  it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, for a budget advisory committee to perform its duties and issue recommendations with an even number of voting members, as an impasse can result; and
Whereas,  currently the Washington County Budget Advisory Committee has an even number of voting members and, in order to properly perform its duties regarding the 2019 county budget, a mechanism to prevent future tie votes needs to be in place prior to September of this year; 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 §900-B, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 777, §1, is amended to read:
 
2. Legislative member.   The Washington County legislative delegation shall annually select one member of the delegation who resides in Washington County to serve as a nonvoting member on the budget advisory committee.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
 
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 129th Legislature, First Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.