An Act To Extend Term Limits
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1273
Senate Amendment SA_A_S305 (Senate)

SENATE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 945, L.D. 1273, Bill, "An Act 
To Extend Term Limits" 
Amend the bill in section 1 in that part designated "§553." 
by striking out all of subsections 3 to 6 and the last indented 
paragraph (page 1, lines 18 to 31 in L.D.) and inserting in their 
place the following: 
'3. 
Secretary of State. 
A person may not serve more than 4 
consecutive terms as Secretary of State. 
4. 
Treasurer of State. 
A person may not serve more than 4 
consecutive terms as Treasurer of State. 
5. 
Attorney General. 
A person may not serve more than 4 
consecutive terms as Attorney General. 
6. 
State Auditor. 
A person may not serve more than 2 
consecutive terms as State Auditor. 
1;his--seo-t.4on--applies Subsections 3 to 6 apply to terms of 
office that begin on or after December 3, 1996 and subsections 1 
and 2 apply to terms of office that begin on or after December 1, 
l.Q..Qi. ' 
Further amend the bill by striking out all of section 2 and 
inserting in its place the following: 
'Sec. 2. Statutory referendum procedure; submission at statewide 
election; form of question; effective date. 
This Act takes effect when 
approved only for the purpose of permitting its submission to the 
legal voters of the State at a statewide election held on the 
Tuesday following the first Monday of November following passage 
of this Act. 
The municipal officers of this State shall notify 
the inhabitants of their respective cities, towns and plantations 
to meet, in the manner prescribed by law for holding a general 
election, to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Act by 
voting on the following question: 
SENATE AMENDMENT 
t\o'$. 
SENATE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 945, L.D. 1273 
"Do you support rev~sl.ng Maine I s term limits law to provide 
a balance of new and experienced members by extending the 
limit of legislative service from 4 2-year terms to 6 2-year 
terms?" 
The legal voters of each city, town and plantation shall 
vote by ballot on this question and designate their choice by a 
cross or check mark placed within a corresponding square below 
the word "Yes" or "No." 
The ballots must be received, sorted, 
counted and declared in open ward, town and plantation meetings 
and returns made to the Secretary of State in the same manner as 
votes for members of the Legislature. 
The Governor shall review 
the returns and, if it appears that a majority of the legal votes 
are cast in favor of the Act, the Governor shall proclaim that 
fact without delay, and the Act takes effect 30 days after the 
date of the proclamation. 
The Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each 
city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this 
Act necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum. 
Sec. 3. Application. 
The 6-consecutive-term limit imposed by 
this 
Act 
for 
Legislators 
applies 
to 
any person elected or 
reelected to office beginning with the 122nd Legislature. I 
SUMMARY 
This 
amendment 
clarifies 
the 
referendum 
question 
and 
specifies that the extension of term limits applies only to 
Legislators. 
Under this amendment, the term limits in current 
law do not change for the Secretary of State, Treasurer of State, 
Attorney General and State Auditor elected or reelected to office 
beginning with the 122nd Legislature. 
SPONSORED BY: 
~~~ 
• 
(Senator GAGNON) 
COUNTY: 
Kennebec 
SENATE AMENDMENT