Maine Legislature, Session 121, LD 1123
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: DUPREY, ANNIS, CRESSEY, FLETCHER, PEAVEY-HASKELL, SNOWE-MELLO

Legislative Document 
No. 1123 
H.P.826 
House of Representatives, March 4, 2003 
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine To Change the Duration of the Legislative Session 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
Presented by Representative DUPREY of Hampden. 
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/J7.1lldi:~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Cosponsored by Representatives: ANNIS of Dover-Foxcroft, CRESSEY of Baldwin, 
FLETCHER of Winslow, PEAVEY-HASKELL of Greenbush, SNOWE-MELLO of Poland. 
Printed on recycled paper 
Constitutional amendment. 
Resolved: 
Two 
thirds 
of 
each 
branch 
of 
the 
Legislature 
concurring, 
that 
the 
following 
amendment to the Copstitution of Maine be proposed: 
Constitution, Art. IV, Part Third, §1 is amended to read: 
Section 1. 
To meet biennially; power of Legislature to 
convene itself at other times; extent of legislative power. 
The 
Legislature shall convene on the first Wednesday of December 
following the general election iB--wha-t--Sa.a-1-1---be--d&s-i-qnat.-ed--tae 
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limits-~-tae--~~-e~--~-~~~~~--~~1-a-F-~~-aae-~--tae 
seeeae-~~--6e66ieB for a period of up to 2 months. 
The 
Legislature may convene at such other times on the call of the 
President of the Senate 
and Speaker of the House, 
with the 
consent of a majority of the Members of the Legislature of each 
political party, all Members of the Legislature having been first 
polled. 
The Legislature, with the exceptions hereinafter stated, 
shall have full power to make and establish all reasonable laws 
and regulations for the defense and benefit of the people of this 
State, not repugnant to this Constitution, nor to that of the 
United States. 
Constitution, Art. IV, Part Third, §18, sub-§l is amended to read: 
1. 
Petition procedure. 
The electors may propose to the 
Legislature 
for 
its 
consideration 
any 
bill, 
resolve 
or 
resolution, 
including 
bills 
to 
amend 
or 
repeal 
emergency 
legislation but not an amendment of the State Constitution, by 
written petition addressed to the Legislature or to either branch 
thereof and filed in the office of the Secretary of State by the 
hour of 5:00 p.m., on or before the 9Gta 25th day after the date 
of convening of the Legislature in ~iF6t regular session eF-ea-eF 
Be~eFe--~he--~~-~--a-~~~--tae--~~~e--~--~~-~~--tae 
be~i6*atYFe-~~~-~1-a-~-sessieB. If the 50th eF-~§ta daYT 
waieheve~-app*ie6T is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the 
period runs until the hour of 5:00 p.m., of the next day which is 
not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday. 
Page l-LRI323(l) 
; and be it further 
Constitutional referendum procedure; form of question; effective 
date. Resolved: 
That 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, at a statewide election, on the Tuesday 
following the first Monday of November following the passage of 
this resolution, to vote upon the ratification of the amendment 
proposed in this resolution by voting upon the following question: 
"Do you favor amending the Constitution of Maine to require 
the Legislature to meet once every 2 years for a maximum of 
months?" 
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 the 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 amendment, the Governor shall proclaim 
that fact without delay and the amendment becomes part of the 
Constitution of Maine on the date of the proclamation; and be it 
further 
Secretary of State shall prepare ballots. Resolved: 
That 
the 
Secretary of State shall prepare and furnish to each city, town 
and plantation all ballots, returns and copies of this resolution 
necessary to carry out the purposes of this referendum. 
SUMMARY 
This constitutional resolution amends the Constitution of 
Maine to eliminate the requirement that the Legislature meet 
every year. 
Instead, the Legislature is required to meet for a 
maximum of 2 months once every 2 years. 
This resolution does not 
affect the ability of the Legislature to call itself in at other 
times if needed.