An Act To Extend from 4 to 6 Terms the Limits on Legislative Terms Reported by the Majority from the Joint Standing Committee on Legal and Veterans Affairs pursuant to Joint Order 2007, H.P. 1357. Printed on recycled paper 11/~ 1n.11!P£~
Maine Legislature, Session 123, LD 1928
Amends: 21-A MRSA §553

Legislative Document 
No.1928 
H.P.1367 
House of Representatives, June 15,2007 
An Act To Extend from 4 to 6 Terms the Limits on Legislative 
Terms 
Reported by the Majority from the Joint Standing Committee on Legal and Veterans 
Affairs pursuant to Joint Order 2007, H.P. 1357. 
Printed on recycled paper 
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MILLICENT M. MacFARLAND 
Clerk 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 21-A MRSA §553, su b-§ 1, as enacted by IB 1993, c. 1, § 1 and affected 
by §2, is amended to read: 
1. State Senate. A person may not serve more than -4- §. consecutive terms as a state 
Senator. 
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §553, sub-§2, as enacted by IB 1993, c. 1, § 1 and affected 
by §2, is amended to read: 
2. State Representative. A person may not serve more than -4- §. consecutive terms 
as a member of the state House of Representatives. 
Sec. 3. Application. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 21-A, 
section 553, subsections 1 and 2, a person elected to serve a 4th consecutive term as a 
state Senator in the 123rd Legislature is ineligible to serve as a state Senator in the 124th 
Legislature, and a person elected to serve a 4th consecutive term as a member of the state 
House of Representatives in the 123rd Legislature is ineligible to serve as a member of 
the state House of Representatives in the 124th Legislature. 
Sec. 4. Statutory referendum procedure; submission at election; form of 
question; effective date. This Act must be submitted to the legal voters of the State at 
a statewide election held in the month of November following the passage of this Act. 
The mun icipal 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 extending term limits for Legislators from 4 to 6 terms?" 
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. 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 
This bill extends term limits for Legislators from 4 to 6 terms. Under the bill, the 
extension of allowable terms does not apply to members of the Legislature who are 
currently serving a 4th consecutive term as a Senator or as a member of the House of 
Page I - 123LR2713(Ol)-1 
I 
Representatives. This bill requires that the proposed alteration in the law governing term 
limits be submitted to the voters for approval. 
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