An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue in the Amount of $13,300,000 To Address Health, Safety and Compliance Deficiencies in the University of Maine System; To Expedite the Creation of a Community College System; To Make Improvements to State Parks; To Make Cultural Improvements; and To Modernize the State Court System
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1591
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: BRENNAN, BRANNIGAN, MITCHELL, CUMMINGS, FINCH, LEDWIN

Legislative Document 
No. 1591 
S.P.546 
In Senate, April 30, 2003 
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue in the Amount of 
$13,300,000 To Address Health, Safety and Compliance Deficiencies 
in the University of Maine System; To Expedite the Creation of a 
Community College System; To Make Improvements to State 
Parks; To Make Cultural Improvements; and To Modernize the 
State Court System 
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator BRENNAN of Cumberland. (GOVERNOR'S BILL) 
Cosponsored by Representative BRANNIGAN of Portland and 
Senator: MITCHELL of Penobscot, Representatives: CUMMINGS of Portland, FINCH of 
Fairfield, LEDWIN of Holden. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Preamble. 
Two 
thirds of both Houses of the Legislature 
deeming it necessary in accordance with the Constitution of 
Maine, Article IX, Section 14 to authorize the issuance of bonds 
on behalf of the State of Maine to provide funds as described in 
this Act, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. Authorization of bonds. 
The Treasurer of State is 
authorized, under the direction of the Governor, to issue bonds 
in the name and on behalf of the State in an amount not exceeding 
$13,300,000 
to 
raise 
funds 
to 
address 
health, 
safety 
and 
compliance deficiencies in the University of Maine System; to 
expedite the creation of a 
community college system; to make 
improvements to state parks; to make cultural improvements; and 
to modernize the state court system as authorized by this Act. 
The bonds are a pledge of the full faith and credit of the 
State. 
The bonds may not run for a period longer than 10 years 
from the date of the original issue of the bonds. 
At the 
discretion of the Treasurer of State, with the approval of the 
Governor, any issuance of bonds may contain a call feature. 
Sec. 2. Records of bonds issued kept by Treasurer of State. 
The 
Treasurer of State shall keep an account of each bond showing the 
number of the bond, the name of the successful bidder to whom 
sold, the amount received for the bond, the date of sale and the 
date when payable. 
Sec. 3. 
Sale; how negotiated; proceeds appropriated. 
The 
Treasurer of State may 
negotiate the sale of the bonds 
by 
direction of the Governor, but no bond may be loaned, pledged or 
hypothecated on behalf of the State. 
The proceeds of the sale of 
the bonds, which must be held by the Treasurer of State and paid 
by the Treasurer of State upon warrants drawn by the State 
Controller, are appropriated solely for the purposes set forth in 
this Act. 
Any unencumbered balances remaining at the completion 
of the project in this Act lapse to the debt service account 
established for the retirement of these bonds. 
Sec. 4. Interest and debt retirement. 
The Treasurer of State 
shall pay interest due or accruing on any bonds issued under this 
Act and all sums coming due for payment of bonds at maturity. 
Sec. 5. Disbursement of bond proceeds. 
The proceeds of the 
bonds must be expended as set out in this Act under the direction 
and supervision of the University of Maine System, 
the Maine 
Technical College System, the Department of Conservation, 
the 
Maine Cultural Affairs Council and the state court system. 
Page l-LR2069(1) 
Sec. 6. Allocations from General Fund bond issue. 
The proceeds 
of the sale of the bonds must be expended as designated in the 
following schedule. 
18, 
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE SYSTEM 
Upgrade health and safety features in 
laboratory buildings at the University 
of Maine campuses at Farmington, Machias 
and Presque Isle and the University of 
Southern Maine campus 
MAINE TECHNICAL COLLEGE SYSTEM 
Campuswide infrastructure and 
technology investments needed to 
transition to the Maine Community 
College System 
DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION 
Make improvements to state parks 
MAINE CULTURAL AFFAIRS COUNCI~ 
$4,000,000 
$2,000,000 
$2,000,000 
$ 
550,000 
$ 
500,000 
$1,500,000 
$ 
250,000 
$ 
500,000 
$ 
200,000 
$ 
500,000 
STATE COURT SYSTEM 
Rebuild the violation bureau 
information system 
Install video conferencing facilities 
$ 
300,000 
$LOOO,OOO 
Total 
$13,300,000 
Sec. 7. Contingent upon ratification of bond issue. 
Sections 1 to 
do not become effective unless the people of the State ratify 
the issuance of the bonds as set forth in this Act. 
Sec. 8. Appropriation balances at year-end. 
At the end of each 
fiscal year, all unencumbered appropriation balances representing 
state money carry forward. 
Bond proceeds that have not been 
expended within 10 years after the date of the sale of the bonds 
lapse to General Fund debt service. 
Sec. 9. Bonds authorized but not issued. 
Any bonds authorized 
but not issued, or for which bond anticipation notes are not 
issued 
within 
years 
of 
ratification 
of 
this 
Act, 
are 
deauthorized and may not be issued, except that the Legislature 
may, within 2 years after the expiration of that 5-year period, 
extend the period for issuing any remaining unissued bonds or 
bond anticipation notes for an additional amount of time not to 
exceed 5 years. 
Sec. 10. Referendum for ratification; submission at statewide 
election; form of question; effective date. 
This Act must be submitted 
to the legal voters of the State at a statewide election held on 
the Tuesday following the' first Monday of June 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 statewide 
election, to vote on the acceptance or rejection of this Act by 
voting on the following question: 
"Do you favor a $13,300,000 bond issue to address health, 
safety and compliance deficiencies in the University of 
Maine 
System; 
to expedite the creation of 
a 
community 
college system; to make improvements to state parks; to make 
cultural improvements; 
and to modernize the state court 
system?" 
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 a majority of the legal votes are cast in 
favor of this Act, the Governor shall proclaim the result without 
delay, and this Act becomes effective 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. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the 
preamble, this Act takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of 
$13,300,000, will be used for the following purposes: 
1. 
The 
sum of $4,000,000 to address health, safety and 
compliance deficiencies in the University of Maine System; 
2. 
The sum of $2,000,000 to expedite the creation of a 
community college system; 
3. 
parks: 
The 
sum of $2,000,000 to make improvements to state 
4. 
The sum of $4,000,000 to make cultural improvements; and 
5. 
The 
sum of $1,300,000 to modernize the state court 
system.