An Act To Eliminate Term Limits in the Legislature
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0572
Committee Amendment CA_A_S278 (Senate)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT ·A" to S.P. 180, L.D. 572, Bill, "An 
Act To Eliminate Term Limits in the Legislature" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting 
clause and before the summary and inserting in its place the 
following: 
·Sec. I. 21·A MRS A §553, sub.§§l and 2, as enacted by IB 1993, 
c. 1, §l and affected by §2, are amended to read: 
1. 
State Senate. 
A person may not serve more 
than 4 
consecutive terms as 
a state Senator, 
except that, beginning 
December 
3, 
2006, 
a 
person elected to that person's first 
nonconsecutive 
term as state Senator may 
serve an unlimited 
number of terms. 
2. 
State Representative. 
A person may not serve 
consecutive 
terms 
as 
a 
member 
of 
the 
state 
Representatives, 
except that, 
beginning 
December 
3, 
person elected to that person' s first nonconsecutive 
member 
of 
the state House 
of Representatives 
may 
unlimited number of terms. 
more than 
House 
of 
2006, 
a 
term as a 
serve 
an 
Sec. 2. Statutory referendum procedure; submission at general 
election; form of question; effective date. 
This Act must be submitted 
to the legal voters of the State at the general election in the 
month 
of 
November 
in 
2006. 
The 
municipal 
Page l-LR0278(2) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .~. to S.P. 180, L.D. 572 
officers of this 
respecti ve cities, 
prescribed by law 
the 
acceptance 
or 
following question: 
State shall notify the inhabitants of their 
towns and plantations to meet, in the manner 
for holding a statewide election, to vote on 
rejection of this 
Act 
by voting 
on 
the 
"Do you favor repealing term limits for Legislators who are 
elected to their first term in November 20067" 
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 it appears that a majority of the legal votes 
are cast in favor of the Act, the Governor shall proclaim that 
fact without delay, and the Act takes effect 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 
This amendment replaces the bill. 
It repeals term limits 
for 
Legislators 
who 
serve 
their 
first 
nonconsecutive 
term 
beginning December 3, 2006. 
The amendment also requires that the 
voters of the State vote on this matter at the general election 
held in 2006. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Revised: 05126/05 ~ac:.. 
LD572 
LR 0278(02) 
An Act To Eliminate Term Limits in the Legislature 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ,A, 
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Current biennium cost increase - General Fund 
Referendum Costs 
MonthlY ear 
Election Type 
Question 
Length 
Nov-05 
General 
Referendum 
Standard 
The Secretary of State's budget includes sufficient funds to accommodate one ballot of average length for the general 
election in November. If the number or size of the referendum questions increases the ballot length, an additional 
appropriation of $8,000 or more may be required. 
LR0278(2) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1