An Act To Authorize Department of Transportation Bond Issues in the Amount of $75,000,000 for Improvements to Highways; Bridges; Airports; State-owned Ferry Vessels; Ferry and Port Facilities; Port and Harbor Structures; Development of Rail Corridors; Improvements to Railroad Structures and Intermodal Facilities; Investment in Public Transportation Fleet and Public Park and Ride and Service Facilities; and Statewide Trail and Pedestrian Improvements
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1572
Committee: Transportation
Sponsors: HATCH, FISCHER, PERRY, SAMPSON, WHEELER, WOTTON

Legislative Document 
No. 1572 
S.P.531 
In Senate, April 14,2003 
An Act To Authorize Department of Transportation Bond Issues in 
the Amount of $75,000,000 for Improvements to Highways; Bridges; 
Airports; State-owned Ferry Vessels; Ferry and Port Facilities; Port 
and Harbor Structures; Development of Rail Corridors; 
Improvements to Railroad Structures and Intermodal Facilities; 
Investment in Public Transportation Fleet and Public Park and 
Ride and Service Facilities; and Statewide Trail and Pedestrian 
Improvements 
Reference to the Committee on Transportation suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Senator HATCH of Somerset. (GOVERNOR'S BILL) 
Cosponsored by Representati ve USHER of Westbrook and 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senator: SA V AGE of Knox, Representatives: FISCHER of Presque Isle, McKENNEY of 
Cumberland, PERRY of Bangor, SAMPSON of Auburn, WHEELER of Kittery, WOTTON of 
Littleton. 
Printed on recyc led 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 
$75, 000, 000 to raise funds to match available federal funds for 
improvements to highways and bridges; airports; state-owned ferry 
vessels 
and 
ferry 
and 
port 
facilities; 
port 
and 
harbor 
structures; development of rail corridors and improvements to 
railroad structures and intermodal facilities; investment in the 
statewide public transportation fleet and public park and ride 
and 
service 
facilities; 
and 
statewide 
trail 
and 
pedestrian 
improvements 
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 Commissioner of Transportation. 
Page l-LR2068(l) 
Sec. 6. Allocations from Highway Fund and General Fund bond 
issues. 
The proceeds of the sale of the bonds must be expended as 
designated in the following schedule. 
TRANSPORTATION, DEPAR'TMENT OF 
Highway Fund 
Highway and Bridge Improvements 
Highway Fund Total 
General Fund 
Airport Improvements 
Highway and Bridge Improvements 
Port and Ferry Improvements 
Rail Improvements 
Trail Improvements 
Transit and Park and Ride Improvements 
General Fund Total 
$13,000,000 
$13,000,000 
$5,600,000 
29,000,000 
9,360,000 
14,200,000 
2,000,000 
1, 840,000 
$62,000,000 
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 
la2se to General Fund or Highway 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 November 
following 
passage 
of 
this 
Act. 
The municipal officers of this 
inhabitants of their respective cities, 
meet, in the manner prescribed by law 
election, to vote on the acceptance or 
voting on the following question: 
State shall notify the 
towns and plantations to 
for holding a statewide 
rejection of this Act by 
"Do you favor a $75,000,000 bond issue for improvements to 
highways 
and bridges; airports; state-owned ferry vessels 
and ferry and port facilities; port and harbor structures; 
development of rail corridors and improvements to railroad 
structures 
and 
intermodal 
facilities; 
investment 
in 
the 
statewide public transportation fleet and public park and 
ride 
and 
service 
facilities; 
and 
statewide 
trail 
and 
pedestrian improvements that makes the State eligible for up 
to $232,000,000 in matching federal funds?" 
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 
city, town and plantation all ballots, returns and copies1~f 
Act necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum. 
each 
this 
SUMMARY 
The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of 
$75,000,000, will be used for highways and bridges; airports; 
state-owned ferry vessels and ferry and port facilities; port and 
harbor structures; development of rail corridors and improvements 
to railroad structures and intermodal facilities; investment in 
the statewide public transportation fleet and public park and 
ride and service facilities; and statewide trail and pedestrian 
improvements.