Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 1031
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: VAUGHAN

Legislative Document 
No. 1031 
H.P.716 
House of Representatives, March 1,2005 
RESOLUTION, Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine Regarding the Funding of Local Schools 
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed. 
Presented by Representative VAUGHAN of Durham. 
Printeo on rec.:ydet.l puper 
IY/~ 
1I1·711dC~ 
MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Constitutional amendment. 
Resolved: 
Two 
thi rds 
branch 
of 
the 
Legislature 
concurring, 
that 
the 
amendment to the Constitution of Maine be proposed: 
Constitution, Art. VIII, Pt. First, §1 is amended to read: 
of 
each 
following 
Section 1. 
Legislature 
shall 
require 
towns 
to 
support 
public 
schools; 
uniform 
and high-quality education; 
duty of 
Legislature. 
A general diffusion of the advantages of education 
being essential to the preservation of the rights and liberties 
of the people; to promote this important object, the Legislature 
aFe ~ authorizedT and it shall be theiF ~ 
duty te-Fe~HiFeT-tRe 
SeyeFa*-~eWBS to make suitable provisionT-~-~~i~--&w&-eKFeB6eT 
for the support and maintenance of public schools and to seek to 
.e.n.s.ure that an educational program of uniform and high quality is 
titablished and continuously maintained in all schools in the 
.£ta!;&; and it shall further be theiF ~ 
duty to encourage and 
sui tably endow, 
from time to time, as the circumstances of the 
people may authorize, all academies, colleges and seminaries of 
learning wi thin the State; provided, that no donation, grant or 
endowment shall at any time be made by the Legislature to any 
literary institution now established, or which may hereafter be 
established, unless, at the time of making such endowment, the 
Legislature of the State shall have 
the right to grant any 
further powers to alter, limit or restrain any of the powers 
vested in any 
such literary institution, 
as shall be 
judged 
necessary to promote the best interests thereof. 
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 m~et, 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 
make 
suitable 
provision 
for 
public 
schools and to seek to ensure that uniform and high-quality 
education is established and continuously maintained in all 
schools of the State?" 
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 within the corresponding square below 
Page I-LRI030(1) 
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 resolution proposes an amendment to the Constitution of 
Maine to strike the words requiring that towns make suitable 
provision for 
the 
support 
and maintenance of 
schools. 
This 
resolution adds 
language requiring the Legislature to support 
schools and to seek to ensure that a 
program of uniform and 
high-quality education is established and continuously maintained 
at all schools in the State.