An Act To Reform County Government
Maine Legislature, Session 122, LD 0044
Committee Amendment CA_A_H494 (House)

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 40, L.D. 44, Bill, "An Act 
To Reform County Government" 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting 
clause and inserting in its place the following: 
. Sec. 1. 30·A MRSA §§109 and 110 are enacted to read: 
SlOg. 
New county fees 
1. 
Authorization. 
County commissioners may 
by majority 
vote establish a fee for their county when a similar fee aoes not 
exist at tht time that the yote is taken. 
2. 
Limitation. 
Unless otherwise provided by law, any fee 
established by 
a 
county 
under 
this 
section must 
reasonably 
reflect the cost to the county associated with the fee procedure 
and enforcement. 
3. 
Adjustment to property tax. 
All revenue raised pursuant 
to subsection 1 must be used by the county to lower the county 
tax assessment in the following year in an amount equal to the 
new revenue. 
4. 
Repeal. 
This section is repealed January 1, 2008. 
SIlO. 
Increasing fees 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. A 
.. to H.P. 40, L.D. 44 
1. 
County commissioner vote. 
Beginning January 1, 2006 and 
no 
more 
than 
once 
every 
years 
thereafter, 
the 
county 
commissioners may vote to increase a fee charged by the county by 
up to 25% without approval of the Legislature. 
2. 
Register of deeds. 
Notwithstanding subsection 1, the 
recording fees and surcharges paid to the register of deeds in 
Title 33, sections 751 and 752 must be consistent in all counties. 
3. 
Register of probate. 
Notwithstanding subsection 1, the 
recording fees and surcharges paid to the register of probate in 
Title lS-A must be consistent in all counties. 
4. 
Uniformity. 
If the county commissioners in at least 11 
counties vote to raise the fees paid to the registers of deeds or 
registers of probate to a uniform amount. then those fees are 
deemed to have been raised in all counties to those amounts and 
the county officials responsible for the collection of those fees 
shall adjust their fees accordingly. 
5. 
Recording. 
For fees raised pursuant to this section, 
the yotes under subsection 4 must be recorded with the Secretary 
of State and notice made to the joint standing committee of the 
Legislature having jurisdiction over state and local government 
matters. 
6. 
Adjustment to prqperty tax. 
All 
revenue 
raised by 
lucreasing fees pursuant to this section must be used by the 
couuty to lower the county tax assessment in the following year 
in an amount equal to the increase in reyenue. 
7. 
Repeal. 
This section is repealed January 1, 2008.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the concept draft. 
The amendment 
gives the county commissioners the authority to establish a fee 
in their county when a similar fee does not currently exist in 
statute. 
The amendment allows county commissioners to increase 
any 
county 
fee 
by 
up 
to 
25% 
without 
the 
approval 
of 
the 
Legislature provided that the fee is raised no more frequently 
than every 5 years. 
Fees for recording and surcharges paid to 
the registers of deeds and registers of probate may be raised 
only if 11 or more counties vote to raise those fees to a uniform 
amount. 
This Act is repealed January 1, 200S. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
.J 
Approved: 0511 0/05 frae 
LD44 
LR 0144(02) 
An Act To Reform County Government 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment ,1/" 
Committee: State and Local Government 
Fiscal Note Required: No 
Fiscal Note 
No fiscal impact. 
LR0144(2) - Fiscal Not~ - P~oP 1 of 1