An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue in the Amount of $6,000,000 To Enable LifeFlight of Maine to Fully Implement a Statewide, Dedicated Air-medical Response System
Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 0677
Committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs
Sponsors: DAGGETT, MAILHOT, BRYANT, CATHCART, DAVIS, COLWELL, DUPLESSIE, JODREY, MILLETT, PINGREE

Legislative Document 
No. 677 
S.P.241 
In Senate, February 14, 2003 
An Act To Authorize a General Fund Bond Issue in the Amount of 
$6,000,000 To Enable LifeFlight of Maine to Fully Implement a 
Statewide, Dedicated Air-medical Response System 
Reference to the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by President DAGGETT of Kennebec. 
Cosponsored by Representative MAILHOT of Lewiston and 
JOY J. O'BRIEN 
Secretary of the Senate 
Senators: BRYANT of Oxford, CATHCART of Penobscot, DAVIS of Piscataquis, 
Representatives: Speaker COLWELL of Gardiner, DUPLESSIE of Westbrook, JODREY of 
Bethel, MILLETT of Waterford, PINGREE of North Haven. 
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 
1S 
authorized, under the direction of the Governor, to issue bonds 
in the name and on behalf of the State in an amount not exceeding 
$6,000,000 to raise funds 
for the expansion of 
a 
statewide, 
air-medical 
response 
system 
by 
LifeFlight 
of 
Maine 
through 
constructing dedicated, 
lighted helipads, 
building additional 
refueling facilities, upgrading navigational systems, acquiring 
training equipment and purchasing helicopters and to meet other 
costs 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 Public Safety. 
Page l-LR0993(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. 
PUBLIC SAFETY, DEPARTMENT OF 
To provide funds to LifeFlight of Maine 
to expand a dedicated air-medical 
response system throughout Maine. 
$6,000,000 
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 
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 
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 statewide election, to vote on the acceptance or rejection of 
this Act by voting on the following question: 
"Do you favor a $6,000,000 bond issue to expand the existing 
statewide, 
dedicated 
air-medical 
response 
system 
through 
constructing 
hospital 
helipads, 
building 
additional 
refueling 
facilities, 
upgrading 
navigational 
systems, 
acquiring training equipment and purchasing helicopters and 
to meet other costs to ensure greater and quicker access to 
health care for severely ill or injured persons?" 
The legal 
vote by ballot 
cross or check 
voters of each city, 
town and plantation shall 
on this question and designate their choice by a 
mark placed wi thin 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. 
SUMMARY 
The funds provided by this bond issue, in the amount of 
$6,000,000, will be used by LifeFlight of Maine to develop the 
expansion 
of 
Maine's 
existing dedicated 
air-medical 
response 
system 
through 
constructing 
additional 
hospital 
helipads, 
building 
additional 
refueling 
facilities, 
acquiring 
training 
equipment and purchasing helicopters and to meet other costs in 
order to ensure greater and more rapid access to health care for 
severely ill or injured persons especially from rural hospitals 
and communities.