An Act to Streamline Maine's Planning Process
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0308
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: GLYNN, JOY, MURPHY
Amends: 12 MRSA §685-C, 38 MRSA §956

Legislative Document 
No. 308 
H.P.251 
House of Representatives, January 28, 2003 
An Act to Streamline Maine's Planning Process 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative GLYNN of South Portland. 
Il/~ 
/J7.1iJu~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Representatives: JOY of Crystal, McKENNEY of Cumberland, MURPHY of 
Kennebunk. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, Acts of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted 
as emergencies; and 
Whereas, it is necessary that this Act take effect prior to 
the end of the First Regular Session of the 121st Legislature to 
allow the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over state and local government matters to report 
out legislation as soon as possible; 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Sec. 1. 5 MRSA c. 311, as amended, is repealed. 
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §685-C, sub-§l, 1[B, as enacted by PL 1971, c. 
457, §5, is repealed. 
Sec. 3. 38 MRSA §956, sub-§2, 1[A, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 
663, §233, is amended to read: 
A. 
The proposed amendment or revision has been submitted to 
the Southern Maine Regional Planning Commission, the Greater 
Portland 
Council 
of 
Governments 
and 
other 
appropriate 
agencies, 
which 
shall 
forward 
their 
comments 
and 
recommendations, if any, to the commission within 30 days: 
£nQ 
Sec. 4. 38 MRSA §956, sub-§2, 1[B, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 
663, §233, is repealed. 
Sec. 5. 38 MRSA § 1303-C, sub-§35, as amended by PL 1997, c . 
393, Pt. B, §9, is repealed. 
Sec. 6. 
Authority to report out bill. 
The 
joint 
standing 
committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over state and 
local government matters shall report out a bill to the First 
Regular 
Session 
of 
the 
121st 
Legislature 
to 
establish 
a 
legislati ve 
task 
force. 
The 
task 
force 
shall 
make 
recommendations 
on 
the 
reallocation of State Planning Office 
functions to other appropriate state or local authorities for 
those functions not duplicated at the local level. 
Emergency clause. 
preamble, 
this 
Act 
In 
takes 
view of 
effect 
the 
when 
Page l-LR0984(1) 
emergency 
approved, 
cited in 
except 
the 
that 
sections 1 to 5 of this Act take effect July 1, 2004. 
SUMMARY 
This bill dissolves the State Planning Office effective July 
1, 
2004 
and 
requires 
the 
joint 
standing 
committee 
of 
the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local government 
matters to establish a legislative task force to reallocate State 
Planning Office functions to other appropriate state or local 
authorities for those functions not duplicated at the local level.