An Act To
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 1667
Committee Amendment CA_A_S384 (Senate)
Amends: 1 MRSA §353, 21-A MRSA §501, 21-A MRSA §629

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A " to S.P. 632, L.D. 1667, Bill, "An Act To 
Amend the Election Laws and Other Related Laws" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 1 and inserting in its place the following: 
'Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §353, as amended by PL 2009, c. 462, Pt. D, § I, is fWiher 
amended to read: 
§353. Explanation of proposed amendments and statewide referenda 
With the assistance of the Secretary of State, the Attorney General shall prepare a 
brief explanatOlY statement that must fairly describe the intent and content and what a 
"yes" vote favors and a "no" vote opposes for each constitutional resolution or statewide 
referendum that may be presented to the people and that must include any information 
prepared by the Treasurer of State under Title 5, section 152. The explanatory statement 
may not include comments of proponents or opponents as provided by section 354. In 
addition to the explanatOlY statement, the Office of Fiscal and Program Review shall 
prepare an estimate of the fiscal impact of each constitutional resolution or statewide 
referendum on state revenues, appropriations and allocations within -J-{) 12 business days 
after the receipt of the application and full text of the proposed law by the Secretary of 
State. 
The fiscal impact estimate must summarize the aggregate impact that the 
constitutional resolution or" referendum will have on the General Fund, the Highway 
Fund, Other Special Revenue Funds and the amounts distributed by the State to local 
units of government.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 6 (page 2, lines 24 to 33 in L.D.) and 
inseIiing the following: 
'Sec. 6. 21-A MRSA §501, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2001, c. 310, §27, is 
fUliher amended to read: 
3. Provisions applicable to both towns and cities. A warden, ward clerk or any 
deputy warden may not be an officer of a municipal committee of a political paJiy. Ward 
clerks or deputy wardens shall perform the duties of the warden when necessary and may 
not replace election clerks prescribed by this Title. The warden, ward clerk and deputy 
Page I - 124LR24SI(02)-I 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
".j" 
COMMIITEE AMENDMENT ,A "to S.P. 632, L.D. 1667 
wardens must be registered voters of the municipality, except when a nonresident clerk is 
acting as either warden, ward clerk or deputy warden. When there is a vacancy in the 
office of warden, ward clerk or deputy warden, a person who is a resident of the county 
may serve as a replacement on a per election basis until the end of the vacated term. 
Before assuming the duties of office, the warden is sworn by the municipal clerk, and the 
ward clerk or deputy warden is sworn by the municipal clerk or by the warden.' 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 8 (page 3, lines 3 to 8 in L.D.) and 
inserting the following: 
'Sec. 8. 21-A MRSA §629, sub-§l, ,u-l, as enacted by PL 2009, c. 341, §3, is 
amended to read: 
D-1. 
The Secretary of State shall provide adequate copies of the fiscal impact 
statement for each direct initiative of legislation prepared in accordance with Title I, 
section 353, which must be placed in each voting booth posted with the sample 
ballots outside the guardrail so as to be visible to voters.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the provision in the bill that allows a person who is not a 
resident of a municipality to serve as warden, ward clerk or deputy warden for that 
municipality, as long as that person is a resident of the county. The amendment specifies 
that this exception is allowed on a per election basis only in the event of a vacancy in the 
warden, ward clerk or deputy warden position. The amendment strikes the provision in 
the bill that required the fiscal impact statement on direct initiatives to be available to a 
voter upon request instead of in the voting booth as in current law. The amendment 
specifies that the fiscal impact statement must be posted with sample ballots outside the 
guardrail in the voting place so as to bevisible to voters. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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