An Act To Modify the Citizen Initiative Process
Maine Legislature, Session 124, LD 0235
Committee Amendment CA_A_H435 (House)
Amends: 1 MRSA §353, 21-A MRSA §625, 21-A MRSA §629, 21-A MRSA §901, 21-A MRSA §901-A

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A" to H.P. 189, L.D. 235, Bill, "An Act To 
Modify the Citizen Initiative Process" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Provide Fiscal Information for Citizen Initiatives' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the 
summary and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §353, as amended by PL 2007, c. 695, Pt. A, §2, is further 
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 explanatory 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 explanatory statement, beginning vAth the November 2006 election 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 30 days after the adjournment of the legislative session 
immediately prior to -the statev ... ide election when the constitutional resolution or 
referendum '.viII appear on the ballot 10 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. The Secretary of State shall 
publish the explanatory statement and the fiscal estimate in each daily newspaper of the 
State, not more than 10 and not less than 7 days prior to the voting. This information may 
be published in the English language in a foreign language newspaper. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITfEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 189, L.D. 2 3 5 \ \  
Sec. 2. 21-A MRSA §625, as amended by PL 1997, c. 436, §87, is further'\ 
amended to read: 
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§625. Posting of sample ballots, direct initiative fiscal impacts 
At least 7 days before an election, the clerk shall post a sample ballot, furnished to 
the clerk under section 603, and the fiscal impact statement for direct initiatives of 
legislation furnished to the clerk under section 629, subsection 1, paragraph D-1 in a 
conspicuous, public place in each voting district. 
Sec. 3. 21-A MRSA §629, sub-§l, CflD-l is enacted 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 1, 
section 353, which must be placed in each voting booth. 
Sec. 4. 21-A MRSA §901, sub-§5, as amended by PL 2007, c. 234, §3, is further 
amended to read: 
5. Summary of proposal. For a direct initiative, the Secretary of State shall request 
the Revisor of Statutes to recommend a concise summary that objectively describes the 
content of the proposed law. 
The Secretary of State shall approve or amend the 
summary, and the summary and the fiscal impact statement required by Title 1, section 
must be printed on the petition form immediately following the statements required 
by section 90 I-A. 
Sec. 5. 21-A MRSA §901-A, as amended by PL 2007, c. 234, §4, is further 
amended to read: 
§901-A. Petition requirements for direct initiatives oflegislation 
The following provisions apply to direct initiatives of legislation under the 
Constitution of Maine, Article IV, Part Third, Section 18. 
1. Opportunity to read direct initiative summary. A person circulating a petition 
must provide the voter the opportunity to read the proposed direct initiative summary and 
fiscal impact statement required by section 901 prior to that voter signing the petition. 
The summary presented to the voter must be as it appears on a publicly accessible 
website established by the Secretary of State. 
2. Required statements; placement of information. The Secretary of State shall 
include a space at the top right or left corner of each petition to be submitted to the voters, 
which must be filled in with the name of the circulator collecting signatures on that 
petition, and include the fiscal impact of the initiative as described in Title 1, section 353 
directly below the following statements statement at the top of the petition te---be 
submitted to voters in a type size of no less than 16 points: 
"Freedom of Citizen Information: Before a registered voter signs any initiative 
petition, signature gatherers must offer the voter the opportunity to read the proposed 
initiative summary and fiscal impact statement prepared by the Secretary of State." 
"Ballot questions during the 20 .. eleotion [most reoent election oyole] oost taxpayers 
aooroximatelv $ ........ rSeoretarv of State shall use fisoal information orovided bv the 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT '(1 "to H.P. 189, L.D. 235 
Office of Fiscal and Program Reviev.~ each to be placed on the ballot. As a citizen of 
Maine. you have a ri!!ht to this information. II I 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill and changes the title. The amendment changes the 
date by which fiscal impact statements must be completed for direct initiatives of 
legislation so that the statements may be included on the petition to be circulated for that 
direct initiative. It requires initiative petitions to include a space at the top of each page 
for the name of the circulator and requires the fiscal impact statement to be printed on 
initiative petitions and election ballots and to be posted conspicuously in voting places 
and in voting booths. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Approved: OS/24/09 
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LD235 
LR419(02) 
An Act To Modify the Citizen Initiative Process 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" 
Committee: Legal and Veterans Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
The additional costs associated with the changes to the processing and distribution of direct initiatives can be absorbed 
within existing budgeted resources of the Secretary of State and the Legislature. 
LR0419(02) - Fiscal Note - Page I of I 
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